Adventure 02 x Frontier
by Freefan1412
Summary: Four years after BelialVamdemon's defeat the peace in the Digiworld breaks apart. A mysterious army of evil Digimon is wreaking havoc and destroying everything the children have struggled to build. And the key to evil's victory, lies with 6 'visitors'. 02 x 04 crossover. Rated for violence. Monthly updates.
1. Prolog: Visiting

Because I prefer the original over the dub versions, the names of the digimon are all the original ones as well.

Chibimon=DemiVeemon

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon the Characters or the names. Only the plot is mine.

* * *

><p>Prolog: Visiting<p>

* * *

><p>"Damn it!"<p>

"Calm down, Davis. We knew it would end up that way. They have the advantage."

"TK is right. And look at the bright side: today we´ve reduced their numbers by a good bit and identified the leader as a Phelesmon."

"So what? While we are wasting time like this those bastards are ruthlessly destroying villages and digimon! And they didn´t even bother to look at us! We might as well not have been here at all! Damm!"

"I´m sorry, Davish." A small blue creature with a head as huge as all its other limbs together tugged at its partner's trousers. It wasn´t the usual annoying bund of energy; instead it was covered in bruises, scratches and dirt.

"I´m not blaming you, Chibimon." Davis lifted his sad partner from the hot desert sand and held him in his arms. "It´s just so…frustrating. We finally found the mastermind behind all the attacks on villages and we couldn´t do a damn thing." He pressed Chibimon closer to his chest and starred at the disappearing army at the horizon.

"The three of us were the only ones to make it here in time. There wasn´t much we could do."

"That's right! That's right!" An orange digimon with four tiny limps and bat like wings supported the opinion in an attempt to rise the mood from its partners head.

"Against that army we need everyone. And that stronghold is in no way inferior to the Digimon Kaiser´s. Angewomon, Holyangemon and Fladramon don´t have enough strength to beat an army of mostly ultimates and few champions. Even if they were mostly dark types."

"I know that TK. But that doesn´t mean I have to like it." Davis adjusted the goggles in his reddish brown hair. "Let´s go back to school." He turned to leave but halted his steps half way down the sandy mountain.

"Are you coming, Kari?"

She hadn´t moved one step. Kari still stood on top of the dune and watched the horizon where the army had disappeared in the glimmers of heat.

"What´s wrong?"

The brown-haired teen showed no signs that she even heard Davis.

"Kari?"

Still no reaction. Davis glanced at his cream-haired, hat wearing friend next to him and saw his own confusion mirrored in TK´s eyes. Followed by realization.

The Dark Ocean….

"Kari!" Both boys hiked the dune back up, hoping to snap Kari out of her trance before she vanished.

"Kari!" Davis grabbed her by her shoulders, shaking her and trying to get her attention back to this dimension, but the girl's brown eyes were unfocused starring off into the distance; a frown on her face.

"Something is coming…"

"Don´t listen to it, Kari! You don´t have to go back there! Remember! We left that place behind!"

"Huh?" She blinked. Davis and TK saw her eyes returning to the digital world.

"TK, Davis, what are you doing?"

"Huh?" This time it was the boys turn. "Keeping you from drifting to the Dark Ocean."

"What are you talking about? I haven´t had contact with it for years. Why would I now?"

"Well…" The boys traded glances.

"You didn´t answer to our calls." TK explained, no less confused then Kari.

"I didn´t?"

Both boys nodded and Kari turned to look at the horizon again. "I was just thinking that… no, not thinking, I can feel something. It´s huge. And it feels like…. pressure. Yeah… the way it feels when you are a few feet under water."

"…"

"But it´s not the Dark Ocean." She quickly added. "But I don´t know if it is evil or not. What do you think Tailmon?"

All eyes turned to the white cat at Kari´s feet.

"I don´t know. I can feel it too, but something is off…," Tailmon narrowed her eyes as if trying to see things she couldn't. "I can´t really put it into words, but it feels really…wrong. Like it shouldn´t happen."

"What shouldn´t happen?" Patamon questioned of his fellow light digimon, looking at the horizon as well.

The cat shook her head. "I don´t know," eyes still at the horizon.

"Anyway, lets return to school for now. We have to report to Izzy later, maybe he has thesis what it is that you are feeling. The digimon need something to eat too, and if we don´t hurry Chibimon will eat Davis goggles."

"You are doing WHAT?" Davis screeched while ripping Chibimon from his head. The digimon had a guilty look on his face and a hand poked in his mouth.

"I didn´t yet."

"YET?"

The other four started laughing as they made their way down the dune to the next TV, momentarily forgetting the trouble of the digital word, forgetting the hundreds of digimon that were wreaking havoc, the thousands that have been deleted, the more that were to come and the greatest evil in four years –since BelialVamdemon- that has started to set the plan to absolute power in action.


	2. A new Adventure

Chapter 1: A new Adventure

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><p>It has been four years since Belial Vamdemon's defeat.<p>

The number of Digidestined has steadily increased over time and digimon are common knowledge to the world today. Children and adults of all ages have found their partners and are still doing so. The governments have decided to have an elected number of children from each country act as ambassadors to the digital world until further notice. Japan chose the Digidestined led by Taichi 'Tai' Yagami and Daisuke 'Davis' Motomiya for obvious reasons to be their representatives.

Thanks to that the Digidestined have attracted the public interest and as a result ended up with shrinking privacy; bothering even the most open minded once. However, said status does have its advantages as well: Yesterday Hikari 'Kari' Yagami, Takeru 'TK' Takaishi and Daisuke 'Davis' Motomiya were allowed to leave their lesson as soon as they received the SOS on their D-Terminals.

That privilege can only be used, however as long as the grades are acceptable.

Further the gates all over the globe can be opened now by all Digivices as long as they are not locked down by Gennai or his counterparts. Working together with Koushiro 'Izzy' Izumi, who is sponsored by many organizations, to gather information on anti-digimon (terror-)groups and further research on both worlds. Despite all security measures, however, the digital world is still a no-safety-guaranteed world. Which -logically speaking- it will always be, considering that there will always be evil digimon, the great changes that never stop and the vast amount of the unknown.

That is especially true now; 3 years and 9 month after BelialVamdemon's defeat the digital world has once again been thrown into chaos. For three month now villages have been continuously destroyed, digimon have been deleted and children have been hurt. And that without knowledge who is responsible. The only thing that had been known was that the enemy is huge in numbers and that High Level digimon are with it.

The digimon that have been identified are amongst others: Bakemon, Sangloupmon, Cerberumon, Devimon, PicoDevimon and Pantomon. There have also been rumors of a huge moving stronghold, but they have never been confirmed.

The situation has been judged dangerous enough to lock down all gates around the globe.

To deal with the thread the Digivices of the Odaiba Chosen Children have been upgraded to make entering the digital world possible for them.

* * *

><p>"And then we decided to return." Davis finished the report concerning the army of a few hundreds of dark digimon, the moving stronghold and Kari's sensation.<p>

The 12 Digidestined and 12 digimon were having a meeting in Izzy's room about the events at noon, where only Kari, Davis and TK had reacted in time. Still, even Jo 'Joe' Kido was attending.

The mood had gone downhill the more Davis retold the situation.

"So does that mean we have to face hundreds of evil ultra and mega digimon all by ourselves? Not to mention that we have no idea where -or how for that matter- the army will appear next?" Yamato'Matt' Ishida pointed out not too positively, his voice heavy with frustration.

"Looks that way," somebody out of the gloomy mass answered.

"We don't have to do it alone!" Mimi Tachikawa clapped her hands with newfound optimism. "I mean there are so many new Digidestined all over the world. I bet we could even outnumber them if we all team up."

"No can do. The new Digidestined can hardly evolve their digimon above Rookie. It would be a one-sided massacre." Izzy typed furiously at his PC, not even turning around to break the new bubble of good news.  
>"Also it is not only the army we have to worry about. From what Davis just told us we can deduce that the destruction caused all over the digiworld was not only done by the main army. Just a few strays are enough.<p>

"Moreover Devimon are always bad news. Especially in such numbers. Even if we manage to defeat the army, add even all the strays to it if you want, the problem is, that all that evil that is needed to create so many Devimon will not have been taken care of. And we have no way to do so.

"The evil in the digital world has manifested itself through our opponents. And we have encountered only a few Devimon until now. With that many Devimon it would be like the Dark Masters and Vamdemon all over again times 10. Finally-"

"Gee, Izzy if you aren't careful you are going to kill the good mood," dry sarcasm obvious in Tai's voice the former goggle head shifted in seat.

"I'm sorry Tai, but that is how it is." Izzy still wasn't looking up from his PC. "And as I've been saying, finally there is still the problem with what Kari and Tailmon felt. Or are you still feeling it? No? Well at least something."

"How is that what they are feeling a problem? They didn't know if it was good or evil right?" Miyako 'Yolei' Inoue looked at the two for confirmation. "Maybe it is even a friend."

"Not happening either, I fear."

"Why's that?" Tai entered the conversation again. "We know that there are other dimensions, like the Dark Ocean, so it should be possible that there is something like… I don't know, a White Ocean, maybe? With many angel type digimon or something? I mean even if we don't know why or how they would be entering our digiworld it is possible, isn't it?

"It sure is, but that won't be it."

"And how do you know? It's not like you can see the future is it?" Matt added.

"No, I don't. But-" Izzy finally turned around to face them, his hands raised to stop interruptions." – it is highly likely and Gennai agrees with me." He moved further away from his Pc so that the other Digidestind had free view to the screen. It showed the head of a familiar young man with a hood and ponytail.

The young man raised a hand and smiled in greeting.

_"Good day to you, Digidesined."_

"Gennai!" They exclaimed in unison, smiles braking out on some faces.

"I just mailed him of Davis' report and my opinion of Kari's –let's call it prediction- prediction and well, here he is."

"So, how come the prediction is not about something positive?" Sora Takenouchi asked of the digital man, leaning forward to catch a better view.

_"About that, would you mind telling me exactly what it felt like and what it was exactly that Kari and Tailmon said?"_

"It felt like I was under water. Pressure from all sides, but not much or painful. That feeling was just there." Tailmon nodded from Kari's lap agreeing. "I don't remember saying anything specific." She looked at TK and Davis questioning.

The later continued.

"She said something about 'something is coming'. But why do you need a quote? The meaning of what she said is important, right?"

_"In a sense, but right now the quote is equally important. In that kind of situation people tend to word the very essence of the 'situation' in the first words or sentences they speak. So try and remember please, Davis."_

"It was 'something is coming' and 'I can feel something. It's huge' and 'it feels like pressure 'and 'not the Dark Ocean' and 'don't know if it's evil or not'. Tailmon said: 'something is off' and 'it feels wrong' and 'it shouldn't happen'. "

All eyes in the room and the PC stared at TK.

"How the hell did you remember all that?" Davis questioned, eyes almost popping out.

"Maybe because I actually don't forget things that were said just a few hours before. Unlike a certain someone."

"Are you saying that I'm forgetful?" Davis questioned, irritated already.

Grinning, TK responded. "Whatever could you possibly be talking about? When exactly did I say your name?" His grin was growing wider as he spoke. "But the way you talk it seems to me that you think of yourself as forgetful."

"What TK said. What TK said." Patamon echoed from TK's head.

Davis' head was turning red.

"Ahm! Why don't we get back on track before Davis explodes?" Tai gestured towards Gennai, hardly managing to suppress a smile. "We are still in a meeting that most likely concerns the fate of our worlds." With that the mood turned from amused to dead serious again and even Davis calmed down.

_"Yes, well, the quotes sadly just support Izzy's and my assumption,"_ Gennai said, turning the conversation back on track. _"To explain what it means I need to know, how much do you know about different dimensions?"_

"Dimensions like our world, the Digiworld and the Dark Ocean? They all exist next to each other, right?" Iori 'Cody' Hida stated. "And we don't know how many dimensions there are. The Dream World, where we fought BelialVamdemon is one of them, too. What does that have to do with anything?"

Izzy smiled approvingly, "It's like you said, Cody. We don't know how many there are or what kind of worlds they are. Gennai and I have actually thought about it before, however it turns out that this system of parallel worlds actually has a huge connection with our problems. Most likely anyway. For starters, doesn't anyone see something strange with our situation? Like with the evil in the Digiworld?"

"It's wrong of course," Mimi exclaimed, agitated at the mere thought. "These evil digimon are a thread to everyone who wants to live in peace."

"And they are way too many." Joe mused, a hand on his chin in thought. "And they just appeared."

"Exactly."

"I see." Ken Ichijouji drew the attention towards him without a problem despite his quiet voice. "What you mean to say is that it should be impossible for so much evil to appear in the Digital World; especially after Oikawa's sacrifice. So since the evil cannot be generated from our world it actually came from somewhere else. Like from another parallel world."

"That's exactly it, Ken. We have been thinking that maybe even another or many other digital worlds exist or other human worlds. It is possible," Izzy said.

"Which brings us back to our current situation. The army most likely comes from another world, which has either been concurred or destroyed. We should hope for the latter, because otherwise there is the possibility that our problem-army is but an advance party. If we take Kari's prediction into the equitation the possibility that whatever she sensed is friendly shrinks close to zero."

"Why's that?"

_"What Kari sensed is most likely a breach in our dimension –let's call it wall- wall; the kind of wall that separates the Digiworld from the Dark Ocean for example. Our sensors have picked up said breach-signal as well. Which leads me to think that –looking back to our previous theories- it could be the main army._

_"Or maybe just the mastermind."_ He added quickly, seeing how faces fell. _"The possibility that it is -as Tai said- someone from an inter-dimensional police is also low, because if it was, then why have they not stopped or intercepted the army from invading us? Or interfered in the army's home dimension? Further if it really was any angel or just light typ digimon Tailmon should have been able to acknowledge the breach. Patamon, too, at champion level. But Tailmon didn't. Rather she said 'it feels wrong' and 'it shouldn't happen'. Not exactly the reaction you would give to a fellow angel. I could go on, but I think I made my point clear."_

"But that doesn't mean that the possibility is zero, right? Maybe it really is help!" Davis jumped from his seat, having been lost somewhat around ' parallel worlds'. Izzy raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well? It doesn't, right?"

"No, it doesn't, but-"

"Whatever," the loud boy interrupted, before the genius went on and confused him again. "Let's hurry up and decide what we should do from now on. I mean villages are being reduced to rubble. Even now. And that stupid stronghold. We still don't know how it appears and disappears all the time."

"Before that, I've got a question. How come I don't feel that so-called breach anylonger longer? Doesn't it mean that whatever wanted to pass through already did so?" Kari questioned, frowning as she petted Tailmon.

Shaking his head in reply, Izzy sorted his thoughts and went on explaining. "Actually it doesn't. Am I right in thinking that you only felt it in the Digiworld? Thought so. I'm sure that if you'd return here now you could still feel it. That you can't, only means that the whatever comes is going to enter the Digiworld and not the Human World."

"But then how come I didn't feel the army? I mean it I can't imagine that I'd miss something so huge and evil."

"You'd better," Izzy replied dryly, "you see the sensors are still new, a result of the rising crisis, but you most likely didn't feel anything, because you either weren't in the Digiworld for a few hours which could have provided enough time for the army to slip in. Or because –and let's hope this isn't it- the existence of the army was too small for you to sense."

"We are currently noting a breach for the first time, which is why we have no data to compare it to. And now back to Davis question; I think it is save to rule teleportation out. Otherwise there would be no reason to cross the desert while being attacked. On our side we are rather sure that they are using some kind of camouflage. We are talking about a fortress of that size. There is no way to travel without being seen otherwise." As he finished he took a gulp of water from the bottle standing on his desk; he had been working for hour without break.

"Then what are we supposed to do? We can't just go and search for it by hand. We would never find it." Tai pointed out, irritated. "And we can't exactly split up and search either."

"No, you can't. Even if you would find it, at the moment we hardly stand a chance. Moreover so, since we don't know what is going to enter our dimension through the breach. I'd say you guys continue your daily routines until our side has found out more."

"We are stuck doing nothing or what?" That was Davis.

_"So it would seem," _Gennai agreed.

"But while we are doing nothing many digimon are dying! And you are telling us to sit and watch?"

_"You are of no help to the Digital World if you are dead. But don't worry we are fast with collecting information."_

"Can't we at least go and evacuate the digimon to a safer place?" Sora asked.

_"….Only if you promise to be extremely careful. We do not know what they are after. If we lose just one of you it could mean the difference between victory and defeat."_

"Alright!" The majority exclaimed, the time of forced passivity being over.

"So are we done now? I do have an appointment at a beauty salon." Mimi was already leaving, Tanemon perched under her arm.

"We should be." Tai looked around, then nodding. "Looks like we are."

"Well then, see you tomorrow." And she was gone, as busy as always.

* * *

><p>Finally done! This is the longest chapter I've written yet. My fingers hurt.<p>

Please comment and criticize.


	3. Searching

Chapter 2: Searching

* * *

><p>Okay, this was just great.<p>

Dozens of questions were buzzing around in Takuya's head and he could only answer one. Partly. Where he was? That was kind of obvious now, wasn't it? Seeing how he stood in a forest, where frogs tied instruments around their necks like scarves and where crosses between slugs and green slime were crawling around the ground.

Yes, he was in the Digiworld. But that was about all he knew. Takuya was not familiar with this part and somehow he even doubted it was the Digital World he visited. Why he thought so? His instincts said so after all.

He had no idea what he was doing here, how he got here, why he was here and what he was supposed to be doing now, though that itself wasn't that unusually, seeing how he was in the Digiworld.

On the bright side however, since he was here he could no longer go to school and get detention.

But the best thing was, without a doubt, the burning presences within his mind.

He was whole again. Agnimon and Vitramon were with him again. Pulling out his mobile phone, Takuya was disappointed; it was still a phone. No D-Tector.

Another thing to add to the long list of negatives. Even if he was whole again without his D-Tector he could not fight.

Just great.

Lost in and unknown world, all alone, without means to fight, or even some kind of hint what he should do.

Just great.

Lost in thoughts Takuya wandered along the edge of the forest and searched for the last thing he remembered as he most certainly did not came here by Trailmon.

Yesterday-or was it yesterday?- he was walking home from school. He met up with Izumi 'Zoe' Orimoto along the way and they were going to meet up with Koji Minamoto, Junpei 'JP' Shibayama, Koichi Kimura and Tomoki 'Tommy' Himi in the park to hang out. Did he even reach the park?

He did, didn't he?

Yeah, he did.

He did have a fight with Koji. That, he remembered. Right, they were planning to go to an Amusement Park. They didn't reach it. Somewhat between leaving the park and reaching the Amusement Park he ended up here.

There was only a big black in between.

His spirits didn't know where he was either. He would know if they did.

Things kept getting better and better.

"Grmml!"

Seems like his stomach said it was time for – according to the sun in the sky- lunch. Takuya looked around. The scenery hadn't changed much since he had started walking. To his left was a forest and to his right a wide green plain. Hearing no water he headed into the forest and grabbed the first Gekomon hopping in his way by its instrument.

"Hey, do you know where I can find some water", he asked it.

The Gekomon eyed him with huge eyes and was silent for, what Takuya felt, like hours, its eyes growing wider as time passed.

"Human! A human! Finally a human again!" It screamed, almost deafening Takuya in the process and he let it go in favor of massaging his poor ears, but before he knew what was happening Takuya was surrounded by all kinds of talking Digimon. The majority being Otamamon and Gekomon, with few Numemon mixed in between.

"Can you –"

"-My partner-"

"-We-"

"-are the-"

Takuya was flooded questions, not understanding a single one, because the Digimon always interrupted each other and the questions got louder and louder until he couldn't identify a single word any more.

"Stop!" Takuya yelled, holding his ears and trying not to deafen completely. "One at a time, please! I can't understand you like this!"

It became silent in the blink of an eye.

Or maybe Takuya had just gone deaf.

No, he hadn't. He could still hear the wind brush through the leaves.

He smiled.

"Great, now one at a time. You start." He pointed at an Otamamon near his feet. It blushed and looked around nervously, shifting its weight from left to right and vise versa since it had no feet.

"Uhm, are humans able to come here again?" It finally squeaked, terribly embarrassed. Takuya had no idea why, though. He sat down on the ground, feeling tired in his feet.

"What do you mean with come here again? Humans could freely come to the Digiworld?"

The starring eyes grew to the size of plates.

Chaos erupted again.

"What-"

"We-"

"-Partner-"

"-You-"

This time Takuya just held his ears and waited for them to calm down. A decision he came to regret after the first minute passed. He was not the most patient person.

Yes, definitely not the most patient. Another five minutes or so passed and he was aching to shut them all up.

But Takuya didn't.

At least half had already quiet down after all. He couldn't let that go to waste, now could he? No, he could, he just shouldn't. So Takuya passed time by counting blades of grass.

Gosh, he sure was bored. He wasn't even that desperate in school.

Takuya had enough time to think until they calmed down. And he got a nice idea out of it.

"Starting now, if you want to say something, raise your hand like this." He lifted his arm the way he was supposed to do in school. "If I point at one of you, you can speak. Got it? Good. So what do want to know?" He pointed at a Gekomon.

"Don't you have a Partner Digimon?"

"What's that?" Takuya felt curiosity burn from his insides as the Digimon traded glances and the same Gekomon finally spoke again. "Then how come you are here?"

"Like I said, what is a Partner Digimon?"

They traded glances again.

"A partner Digimon is your partner." One Otamamon said.

"Partner Digimon is a best friend." Another said.

"Partner Digimon protect the human partner." A Gekomon explained.

"I fight with my partner!" The third Otamamon claimed.

"That's right! That's right!" Some Numemon and Otamamon repeated.

"If you fight together with your partner, then I guess I do have partner Digimon. Say, have you ever heard of the Legendary Warriors?"

An Otamamon raised it's 'arm' and Takuya pointed at it.

"No, we haven't." It said and Takuya sighed. So it really wasn't his Digital World.

"Then, could you tell me what's going on in this Digital World? But wait," He raised his hands in defense before the Digimon could bomb him with whatever they were going to say, "could I get some water and something to eat first?" He smiled and put his hand behind his head in embarrassment as his stomach growled once again.

* * *

><p>"Ring! Ring!"<p>

"Alright, whose is it?" The teacher turned to face the class. Too annoyed to notice that the same noise actually peeped from three different devices at the same time.

Three students rose from their seats after a second of hesitation. It only added to the teacher's bad mood. One could almost see a vein pop on his forehead. These students were special and he was not allowed to punish them for this. Hence he continued to write an equitation on the blackboard.

Ignoring the incident.

Davis opened his D-terminal as soon as he sat back down and saw TK and Kari do the same. He deliberately, easily ignored the envious, admiring and despising eyes from his classmates that followed his every move.

The mail was from Izzy. Titled with 'Emergency'.

_Hi Guys, _

_We have an emergency! The 'visitor(s)' we talked about yesterday have arrived. _

_The visitors are apparently 6 children about our age. I got word from Gennai and we have to protect them at all cost! _

_If we don't, we might as well surrender. _

_Everyone split up and search in the Digiworld now! We mustn't waste a second! I will deal with your schools and families._

_Izzy_

_Ps: I'll give a detailed explanation later._

"Excuse me." Davis looked over to Kari. She stood again. "Sensei, something has come up for TK, Davis and I. May we please leave?"

Davis didn't wait for an answer. He was already packing his stuff into his bag, not wasting time trying to be quiet in the process. It didn't bother him the least that he could leave Algebra early. Though, the very pressing massage from Izzy was catch of course. But seriously, he would go even if the teacher would threaten with eternal detention.

It meant nothing compared to the Digiworld.

The teacher mumbled something. Davis could tell, he was not pleased, which made Davis pleased. This teacher was one that liked to see his students despair at tests and such.

He hurried out of the room answering to comments and cheering from his classmates while he did so and, once he reached the door, he quickly turned around, bowing to the teacher before running off to the Computer lab. TK and Kari followed his example and bowed before closing the door. Davis suppressed a grin; compared to him they were at least honest with their apology.

"So what do you make of that mail?" He asked, not addressing anyone specific.

"I don't know," Kari replied, "but I can hardly imagine that it was only 6 children I felt. It felt so huge."

"I don't know about that. I'm more bothered by 'we might as well surrender' part. Exactly what do children have to do with it? And since we have to protect them they can't be so strong that, in the hand of our enemies, we would have no chance of winning. If they were, we wouldn't need to protect them in the first place." TK explained after they slid around a corner. "I wonder what they are like."

"Whatever it is that makes them special, let's just hope we are the ones to find them first." Davis stated while he threw the door to the lab open. "Anyway, we need to split up. Who goes first?"

"Gatomon and I."

"Davish, what is going on?" Chibimon asked from his place by Patamon and Tailmon under a table.

"To be honest, I've got no idea," he answered, shrugging as he picked Chibimon up.

"We are first, Tailmon." Kari typed some commands into the computer and held her Digivice up. "Don't forget to send your location to Izzy later, guys. I'm starting at Koromon Village," she said before she and Tailmon were sucked into the screen.

* * *

><p>The first thing Karin noticed was that indeed the pressure was gone.<p>

The second thing was that Koromon Village beamed with life. After a second of thought she came to the conclusion that it was natural since Koromon Village was one of the places where Digimon had been evacuated to. Many Digimon of Rookie Level and below were jumping around. She even discovered a few Elecmon feeding hatchlings and decided to walk up to one.

"Have you seen other humans than us here, Elecmon?"

"No. Other than the ones that brought us here, No one." The Elecmon said in a low voice, not sparing her more attention than necessary as he fed a small black blob a bottle of what looked like, but surely wasn't, milk.

"Thank you anyway. If you happen to hear something please let us know. Rumors are fine, too." Kari whispered back, careful not to wake the many sleeping children out of their peaceful slumber.

Then, leaving the village Kari and Tailmon walked into the forest. Evolving right in the middle of a second Primary Village would be bad after all.

"So you mind telling me what's going on now?" Tailmon asked while they were still putting distance between Koromon Village and themselves.

"We got a mail from Izzy. It said that what we felt were apparently 6 children our age and - Don't look like that I can't believe it either- we have to protect them. And no, I do not know more than that." She looked around. "Anyway, are you ready?" Kari pulled out her D-terminal and Digivice.

"Whenever you are."

"Digimental up!" A bright light swallowed Tailmon and when it died out seconds later a majestic horse-sized cat with white wings and mask stood in front of Kari.

"The smile of light! Nefertimon." The cat announced as if on replay.

Kari was about to climb on Nefertimon's back when her D-terminal stated to peep. A mail from Izzy again.

_Hi Guys,_

_Until we have found the children we won't have any meetings. _

_I'll inform you about new developments per mail. And I've got everyone's locations so I'll write where each of you should head from there. That way we can cover more ground._

_I'm sure you are wondering about the other children. _

_Well, here comes what you need to know. If they should fall into the enemy's hands we would lose our means to fight back. Every one of them represents one element and the enemy can use that to make digimon of the same element follow orders and render attacks of the very same element useless. To make things worse the enemy has already at least power over water, wood, steal and earth digimon. If you find a child tell them you are sent by Ophanimon and send them through the next TV to me._

_Be careful, Izzy_

Seconds later Kari received a mail with directions.

"It just goes downhill, doesn't it?" Nefertimon commented as they soared through the sky. Kari had read the mail out loud.

"This is just getting ridiculous. At this rate we will end up fighting the entire Digiworld." A frown appeared on her face. "Representing one element? Who gives children that kind of power?"

"We don't know, but surely there are reasons." They flew over a thick forest, making Nefertimon lowered her altitude as to not to miss anything beneath the tees. "Did you know? Ophanimon are holy angel type digimon. They evolve from Angewomon."

"Really? So you might evolve to one. But does one exist today? If we have to tell them we are sent by Ophanimon one should exist, right? But I've never heard of an Ophanimon."

Nefetimon's paws almost touched the trees, but sadly there was nothing below.

"Not necessarily. The children came from another dimension. That Ophanimon must be too, then."

"Somehow with each answered question even more unanswered appear," Kari said, sighing.

She was Light and not Hope.

So it was alright when she didn't always have hope, wasn't it?

No.

Kari shook her head in an attempt to free herself of these negative thoughts.

Who knows; maybe they were going to successfully collect the children. Then they'd only have to worry about an army that happens to be water, wood, steal and earth resistant. They could manage that. It would take time, but it was not impossible.

An image of the many, countless even, Digieggs and Hachlings in Koromon Village drifted to the forefront of her mind and she cut her previous train of thought immediately. So many digimon have died. So many more were dying.

There was no time if they wanted to protect the life in the Digital World. None at all. They had to hurry.

Again, the peeping of her D-terminal caught her attention.

_Everyone return now! Matt found one and is fighting. I will redirect you from here._

* * *

><p>This chapter is edited and hopefully free of mistakes now thanks to the help of GuardianSoulBlade, who beta-read this chapter for me. Thanks a lot.<p>

Other than that I hope you will review to let me know what you think. :)


	4. Found and Lost

Chapter 3: Found and Lost

* * *

><p>TonosamaGekomon=ShogunGekomon<p>

Insekimon=Meteormon

* * *

><p>Matt had decided to start searching from TonosamaGekomon's castle.<p>

That place was a good starting point; there was a river nearby and Matt knew from experience that the first thing you do if you are lost in an unknown dimension is to search for food and water.

Hence he decided to follow the river upstream and have Garurumon search for scents. Izzy agreed with him as his orders of direction were to follow the river, but the wind faced the wrong direction. It was tailwind.

Though they may be faster like this, Garurumon's nose was next to useless. Grarurumon would only notice something when they had already passed it.

That wasn't good enough, yet there was nothing else he could do.

Matt only just refrained from biting his lip in frustration. He could do nothing but be carried around by his partner. When time was so precious and the fate of the entire world lay on their shoulders. Damn…

Matt hated nothing more than helplessness.

He looked around, nothing catching his eye; no leftover campfire, no broken branch, not one trace of human presence. The only things moving through thick branches and over the rich green grass were few Numemon, Otamamon and Gekomon.

His hands were getting sweaty and restlessness almost made him jump down from Garurumon's back.

Taking a deep breath he cleared his thoughts.

He was going about this all wrong. While Garurumon ran he should be thinking; thinking of other places that someone lost might go to or something someone particularly creative or stupid would do. Back when he arrived in the Digiworld for the first time they were looking for other humans and food most of the time.

So ideal places to search would be cities and villages, or just a river like this.

No, wait. What did he know about those children? Maybe they had been in similar situations back in their own dimension. That could make a difference in their actions.

No, this was wrong, too. He didn't know enough about them to make assumptions in the first place. They represent an element each. For all he knew they could be some kind of monsters with human appearances. Or digital humans like Gennai.

Sighing Matt decided to send his questions to Izzy, hoping to find out more, but even if not, Matt's questions might open Izzy's mind to a new direction. Not that he thought so. There was a reason Izzy was called a genius after all.

Still….Representing an element?

Though Matt didn't know what effect representing an element had on the human, he couldn't help but think that it was a pain in the ass. The representative of water... no water was already in the enemy's hands… then fire's might be unable to swim or something. Or he/she might set fire to a forest as soon as he/she stepped into it. Or if that representative business was just based on character like the crests he/she might just be a simple hothead.

Matt smiled at that thought.

That description fit Tai and Davis.

Shuddering he reminded himself to hope it wasn't so. There already were two hotheads in this dimension. Three would definitely fasten the global warming.

Back on track; was it possible that the element affected the location? So fire could either be in some hot place like the desert or -in contrast to the element- somewhere cold or wet. Or the element could have no effect at all and Matt didn't know why or how they came here in the first place. That could affect what they would do, too.

Sighting, Matt sent his thoughts to Izzy again. He pressed the send button just as his D-terminal started peeping.

Matt,

They are Digidestined as well. Different from us. No partners.

Izzy

Matt frowned. No partners? How could one be Digidestined without a partner? Perhaps… he meant the partners weren't here in this dimension?

Separated from the partner and in an unknown Digital World? Matt didn't want to imagine what that would feel like and a chill still ran down his spine just at the thought. Without Gabumon…. No thanks. And targeted by an evil-digimon army? Being the key to victory?

"Garurumon, do you think we stand a chance this time around?"

"No, we don't." Garurumon answered without hesitation or insecurity. Matt looked down at him, questioning. He couldn't see Garurumon's eyes. "But we never stood a chance. And we still won. So don't worry about it, Matt. I'm sure this time we will win as well."

The confidence in his voice made Matt smile. That is how it had always been; Garurumon talking sense into him when he doubted, on the brink of insanity or angered beyond reason.

Suddenly the ground shook violently and seconds later he heard an explosion.

Matt looked ahead, but couldn't see a thing through the trees. Garurumon seemed to have had thought along the same lines as he suddenly made a huge jump, allowing Matt to glance above the trees for a split second.

"There is smoke up ahead! But it's still a few miles away!"

Garurumon doubled his speed and Matt typed the next mail to Izzy this time titled with 'emergency'.

"I still can't smell a thing! Like this we don't even know if it a child!"

Matt heard his own growing frustration mirrored in Garurumon's voice.

But frustration did no good now. He needed to calm down and think. If it really was the enemy and a resisting child he alone didn't stand a chance. Even if Garurumon could evolve to Mega.

"Slow down before we arrive. We need to check the situation out first," Matt said, as a wave of Otamamon, Numemon and Gekomon broke through the trees and scrambled towards them.

Away from the explosion.

Leaning close to Garurumon's back he bowed down, sliding to the side a bit and picked an Otamamon up.

It screeched out loud in surprise.

Matt killed the scream mercilessly by putting a hand over its mouth.

"Calm down. I won't hurt you. I just want to know what happened. Do you know?"

The digimon's eyes were wide and teary with fear, but it nodded once it realized Matt was not hurting it.

"There was this human-"Bingo! But what caught Matt's attention was that the Otamamon seemed ashamed.

"- we explained a lot to him, because he didn't know. He was really nice, but then-" crocodile tears escaped its eyes,"- there was this black Digimon and many Insekimon and they suddenly attacked us and the human said that we should run. We didn't want to, because the human was so nice. But then the human asked what would happen to our partners if we got hurt. And then we ran." Another tear escaping its eyes.

"Don't worry." Matt patted the Otamamon and put on his best reassuring smile despite cursing on the inside. What an Idiot! "We will go and save that human. So you guys just run as far away from here." He dropped the Otamamon back to the ground and focused again.

They were going to arrive shortly, Garurumon was already slowing down. He mailed what he found out to Izzy and added 'I'm confronting the enemy' hoping reinforcements would make it in time.

"We don't need to check the circumstances out anymore, but we still don't know what is happening so stay hidden. You need to go to mega and our priority is the kid. It's hit-and-run."

"Got it." Garurumon slowed down and devolved as soon as Matt got down. "I can smell them."

Nose in the air Gabumon took quiet, carful steps, leading him just behind a bush.

"The next TV is out at the plain." Matt looked at the map of his D-terminal. "We're going to run that way." Gabumon nodded, eyes nailed at the situation hundred feet away.

Small chunks of grass were smoldering in the clearing, the surrounding earth was loosened and uneven, looking almost like it had just fallen from the sky. A few trees were burning and a boy around Matt's age stood unsteady in a crater that had doubtlessly been just crated by an explosion, opposing some Insekimon and a Phelsmon. The Phelsmon, clearly the leader, was flanked by Insekimon, which struck Matt as odd. Insekimon were powerful ultra Digimon, same as Phelsmon. They had no reason to follow an evil Digimon like Phelsmon. Not to mention that their personality was often closer to the rocks they were made of, than sociable creatures.

From this distance Matt couldn't make out any details, but he didn't need to listen to the conversation to know that the boy was fire. The goggles and refusal to run said it all.

* * *

><p>-Little earlier-<p>

How did he get himself in this situation?

Oh right, he had to play the hero and let the other Digimon run.

Not that he regretted it, especially after he heard about the partner relation –he wouldn't be able to stand it if something should happen to Agnimon or Virtramon and they agreed with him on this- but he should have known better.

Seriously.

Now Takuya saw himself faced with 5 Insekimon and some guy in a devils costume. With no Digivive. So what now?

"Which one are you? Fire, Light, Wind, Thunder, Ice or Darkness?" The costume digimon asked with a voice that made Takuya remember the nails-over-blackboard noise his homeroom teacher liked to make when the class wasn't paying attention.

"What are you talking about? Fire, Light… and what were the others?" He stopped his count after two fingers, shifting his weight in apparent ignorance and ease" Who are you anyway, you clown?"

Okay, that had not been the right thing to say to escape the situation unscratched. The clown was turning blue –he couldn't get red; that was its natural face color- but Takuya couldn't help it. The Digimon looked ridiculous. And despite the not-funny situation he also couldn't help but grin. Very wide.

What did one call this? Right, adding fuel to the fire.

Oh, the irony.

"Brat! You better hope you are one. If not there is no way I'll let you live!"

Purely out of instinct Takuya raised his arms in defense in front of him.

And not a moment too soon. A whip slashed down on him. Takuya blocked it and avoided a hit to his face and vitals, but the whip's end whipped over his shoulder and ripped in the flesh on his back.

Takuya hissed from pain as the clown slowly pulled the whip back, cutting deep into his flesh with a hook at the whips end.

Takuya felt blood trickle his clothes and drip down into the grass.

It hurt.

The next hit didn't come and he decided to glance between his arms over to the clown.

What he saw gave him goose bumps.

The sadist actually licked his blood of the whip. What a creep! Takuya was about to give him a piece of his mind in an attempt to override his pain with anger, but before he could voice his complains the clown slashed the whip into the grass at its feet.

Leaving a red mark in it.

"Disgusting! This is by far the worst blood I've ever tasted!"

"My pleasure."

Had he actually lost that much blood that even a third contact was still marked in the ruby color? Takuya resisted the urge to take a look at his body; taking his eyes of the enemy is not the best thing to do if one wanted to see the next day. And he most certainly wanted.

The next hit was cutting his left side just above his hip.

This time there was no break. The whip rained down on him, ripping his clothes and skin to shreds.

Takuya clenched his jaw not wanting to give the clown the pleasure of a scream and knowing that voicing his pain wouldn't make it better, but with every hit he felt his conscious fade, retreating into the burning, consuming depth of his mind.

But he was not going to pass out like this.

He'd never give that bastard the pleasure of victory. He had no means to win, but at least he wasn't going to lose either.

Not here in an unknown world.

Not alone.

Not as long as he felt the fire burning.

Not with Agnimon and Vitramon with him. Never! Even if he'd fall to … hell? No, he doubted hell would be too hot for him. If not hell, then what?

Takuya focused on that question, trying to ignore the pain of the slashes and the comforting darkness that threatened to overcome him and the weakness of his knees, the lightness of his head.

Then he glanced up.

There were no longer any slashes challenging his will. What was going on?

"Be grateful. On your knees and beg for mercy." It said.

Takuya stared.

The clown wasn't serious, right? That was sooooo evil-guy cliché. It had to be joking.

"You're stubbornness has impressed me."

Nope, it was serious, but some part of Takuya's mind still thought the clown was joking. This was too much cliché to be true. But then again… if he wanted cliché he could have it. Here went nothing.

"Are your insides as stupid as your outsides?" Takuya managed to comment between his heavy breathing. "What kind of idiot would beg a laughing stock like you for mercy?"

He could almost hear the clown's vein pop. But Takuya was not done yet,

"It would make me look more ridiculous than you and I wouldn't want that. I mean you are what? The holder of the questionable title of most-natural-entertaining-drama queen of the entire Digital World."He felt a smirk creep on his face. The pleasure right now almost made up for all the pain.

"But I have to admit, I don't have as much courage as you." His grin beamed full power. Icing on the cake. "I couldn't wear that kind of costume in public. But then again it is not a costume, is it, you freak?" Takuya knew he had just surrendered his chance to live, but he wouldn't die. Never. The fire was burning bright and blinding and hot and it was full of live.

He watched as the wannabe devil, abnormal calm, pulled out some kind of bottle from its costume. It was small, but filled with some kind of black liquid.

Takuya's instincts flared, but he too far gone, too exhausted to spare them more than a fleeting thought even as the bottle gave him more goose bumps than the one who held it.

It screamed danger at him, but there was nothing Takuya could do about it anymore. His blood was soaking the grass under his feet in a dirty red, and his muscles cramped from pain and stress and loss of blood, his eyes were getting unfocused sucking everything in and yet his mind saw nothing but swirling colors, a cloud of fiendish dark warmth seeped over him lulling his fire, his passion to sleep, and a persistent cold set into his bones.

He shook his head, fighting himself back to consciousness as he watched the dark liquid form a huge black, gleaming sphere. Twice the size of the clown, who lifted the sphere over its head, a sadistic smile making a huge contrast to hating eyes. "Die."

More in protest than anything else Takuya thought he was not going to die.

If anything, he was not going to die.

He refused with every fiber of his being, rejecting the very thought of losing, failing, dying.

He waited for an impact.

But it never came.

Instead the sphere swallowed him like a bubble would.

But even then nothing happened.

Not relaxing, Takuya glanced around. Even the ground he was standing on had been swallowed and he could breath.

Nothing was happening.

Or so he thought. Takuya hadn't notice at first, but he was burning.

His entire body was covered in bright orange flames, which continued to spread until they had filled out the entire sphere, latched onto the walls and rose to the ceiling.

Bewildered, Takuya watched. He hadn't done this. Neither had Agnimon or Vitramon.

Cracks appeared in the sphere, bright flames eating away at them. And the cracks, too, spread, just like the fire before.

What was happening?

The sphere broke apart with an explosion.

The fire naturally hadn't been able to harm him, but the explosion somehow could. It was strange. An explosion was nothing but fire, right? So how….?

Takuya chocked at the sudden change of pressure and fresh cold air, swaying on his feet.

The ground came close.

And a new wave of pain flooded Takuya's conscience. His clothes were in shreds, hindering his movement as he tried to stop his fall and take an instinctive look at his wound.

He regretted not closing his eyes immediately.

His uniform used to be blue and white. Now it was soaked in red. That sight made his wounds hurt even more. And it was hot.

"Che."

Takuya sluggishly glanced at the clown, seconds away from fainting. It was so hot.

"Looks like you little bastard lucked out. For now." It turned its whip back in its original form; a red trident.

"Fire is it?" The clown looked around.

Takuya followed and took a tired look at the scenery, not really seeing how the grass had been blasted off the ground or how some leaves of the bordering forest were burning and how he in a crater.

"It bothers me that I can't kill you yet, but at least I can complete my mission," the clown continued chattily, its eyes finally falling on Takuya again and there was nothing left of the previous disdain, now replaced with a senseless greedy look that would have haunted Takuya in his nightmares had he had more of his consciousness left than a tiny little spark. Phelesmon made a gesture and the fifth Insekimon handed another kind of glass container over.

"What … mission?"

It was hot.

So unbearably hot.

His bones felt like they were melting. Every cell in his body hurt. Everything was blurred. The clown was nothing more than a black spot. And the earth had turned into water. And it hurt. Like his body got ripped apart.

What was going on?

Everything hurt, but Takuya knew he wouldn't die.

Not from this.

And yet it hurt so much.

It burned?

His flames were burning brightly, but that shouldn't hurt yet every last cell screamed in pain. And his bones were melting. And his cells were burning. But that couldn't be...

"It has nothing to do with you." The clown took a step towards him. Carrying the glass container under its arm.

And a second. Takuya couldn't move anymore. He could just keep himself from passing out, from falling to his knees.

And a third. His ears were playing ticks on him; rustling leaves fleeting whispers.

And a fourth. It burned so much; like lava replacing his blood and glowing iron in his bones.

And a fifth. His body felt too small for so much pain.

And a seventh.

A sudden jerk dragged Takuya back to his senses. He heard the clown curse.

Only minutes later Takuya felt cool metal beneath him and someone's hand holding him in place. The freezing metal eased the burning sensation, cooling him down to human temperatures.

His consciousness slowly returned as well thanks to the new adrenalin shock.

He could see a green plain several hundred feet beneath him and he could see the legs of someone next to him, making him guess he was placed on the back of some flying object.

Takuya foolishly tried to sit up from his position, but immediately regretted moving.

Even breathing hurt.

"I'm no doctor, but I guess it's best if you don't move." It was the voice of a young male.

"Who...?" Takuya managed to ask. Even speaking hurt. Like hell.

"The name is Yamato Ishida. Or just Matt." The boy answered. "And I'm supposed to tell you that I was sent by Ophanimon."

"Lady-" a dry cough"- Ophanimon?"

Really?

That's what Takuya called good news. And here he was thinking he ended up in some other Digiworld or so. He didn't know other humans could enter the Digiworld, though.

"Yeah. And don't speak. It doesn't sound healthy. You can ask questions after a doctor took a good look at you." After a second of silence he added:" I don't know much more anyway."

Takuya suppressed the urge to nod and just let the cool metal press against his cheek, dispelling the heat further. His temperature had sunk to a pleasant level already.

The adrenalin stopped Takuya from sleeping, but at least he could relax buried deep within his conscience in the company of bright fire.

"Matt, we're being followed."

The metal vibrated with each word. It was a Digimon.

Takuya's brain had never been the best to begin with, but now it really hit the deep numbers.

He seriously needed to rest.

"I know. It doesn't matter. Just continue towards the TV. We have to get him to safety first, and then we can deal with Phelsmon. "

TV? Get him to safety? Since when did he have bodyguards? Lady Ofanimon isn't this nice usually. But whatever, even if he was caught by the enemy he couldn't do a thing anymore.

"All right."

* * *

><p>An abrupt movement drew Takuya's mind back to reality the next time.<p>

"Damn! We almost made it, too." He heard somebody curse. The metal at Takuya's cheek vibrated again as the digimon growled at something.

"Hand the brat over!"

Not again that voice.

Takuya opened his eyes tiredly. The ground was only a few feet from his face this time and he sat up despite the intense pain that followed each movement.

They were on an open plain now. Takuya couldn't even see the forest anymore.

The boy next to him helped him down from the digimon and sit down on the ground. He had blond hair and blue eyes. He seemed older than Takuya.

"Open the way! You don't stand a chance against MetalGarurumon."

Takuya took a quick glance at said digimon before returning his attention back to the clown. It was a metal wolf type digimon with some kind of jet boosters on its back like wings.

"True, I alone don't stand a chance."

Takuya did not like where this conversation was going.

He looked around warily still ignoring the pain, which somehow was surprisingly easy.

There was nothing but the metal wolf – MetalGarurumon- a few feet from him and Matt and the clown in front of them. And the grass was only a few inches high. Not enough to hide.

"Surrender the boy now or feel the consequences!"

"You are bluffing, Phelsmon!" The wolf howled angrily.

The clown – Phelsmon he was called apparently- didn't seem pleased, its trident turned into a whip again and for a second Takuya thought it would attack, but the distance between them was too great.

Instead it whipped the ground twice.

The ground began shaking. Takuya looked around, tensing, but still saw nothing.

And yet the ground shook.

"This is bad!" He heard Matt yell. "They are underground! MetalGarurumon!"

Takuya didn't know what Matt wanted to do, but it was too late. The ground had caved in and dozens of Drimogemon and Digmon emerged.

Takuya couldn't move faster than a slug in his condition and was captured by a Digmon before Matt or MetalGarurumon could react.

He cursed vividly.

It was one thing not to be able to fight, but a whole other to hold some back.

He hated it.

More than anything.

So did his fire, because fire was never useless, never weak, and never ever at the mercy of others.

The Digmon with Takuya retreated fast, not wanting to be close to the more powerful wolf-typ. The Digmon had the drills of one 'hand' at Takuya's throat and the other arm was warped around Takuya's waist, keeping him in place.

Eyeing the iron held into his face he wondered if melting the drill would be painful.

"Attack Phelsmon, MetalGarurumon!"Matt shouted, while trying to keep on standing on the shaking and caving ground.

Good, Takuya thought while trying to get free, Matt knew the priorities. The really dangerous one was Phelsmon. With him gone the others would chatter. And hopefully let him go.

With all power he could muster Takuya hit where he hoped the Digmon's stomach was.

It had no effect whatsoever; if anything he just cracked his elbow.

He cursed again. His body hurt, he was weak and nothing but a hostage. His fire flamed in frustration and heat was starting to surge through him again.

Having been too focused on trying to free himself, he hadn't noticed Phelsmon escape from the battle with MetalGarurumon and appear right in front of him.

He only noticed when a claw closed around his neck.

MetalGarurumon instantly froze and the Digmon released its hold on Takuya as it was no longer needed.

Takuya starred in the black eyes of the Phelsmon. He didn't try to free himself this time. He would just waste energy. He just stared into these black, hating eyes hoping to burn it with his overflowing emotions.

Fire was passion, fire was emotion, fire was strength of will, and fire was unbound by anything.

Whatever it wanted, Takuya would not hand it over to him.

Phelsmon's hand stabbed his chest and he passed out.

* * *

><p>PLease review and criticize. :)<p>

Editted as of 1.11.2012 with the help of GuardianSoulBlade


	5. Contact

Quinglongmon=Azulongmon

* * *

><p>Darkness... The deepest darkness he had ever seen.<p>

Where was he?

* * *

><p>Joe immediately knew that they had failed. He could see a boy held up by his neck and a claw of Phelsmon piercing the boy's chest.<br>Joe knew the boy would die, maybe was already dead. They had been late by a few seconds. The chance of victory slipping from their hands at the same speed that life was leaving the boy. There was nothing he could do. No Doctor could save him anymore. Joe ripped his eyes of the dying boy back to the situation at hand.

He was only a few hundred feet away, together with the other Digidesined. They all had just reentered the Dgiworld from Izzy´s room. Arriving in the usual pile of limps and complains.  
>But now everyone was stopped dead in their tracks. Silence drowning even the sound of MetalGarurumon´s battle.<p>

Tai was the first to snap out of it.  
>"Agumon evolve!" He ordered in an agitated voice.<br>Agumon already ran towards Phelsmon. "Agumon warp shinka! WarGreymon!"  
>"Get Phelsmon off him!"<br>"Right!" WarGreymon took off, flying close above the ground.  
>Only when WarGreymon was blocked by a few Dimogemon and Digmon the others came to live as well and followed suit. Imperialdramon FighterMode, Aquilamon, Angewomon, Holyangemon, Ankylomon, Garudamon, Zudomon and Lilimon entered the battle. They had the advantage in levels, but not numbers. Also they couldn´t just delete the other Digimon. Because of that the Digidestined ended up not getting close to Phelsmon and the boy.<br>The Digimon created a living wall.

Joe and the other Digidesined approached as far as they dared to without hindering their partners. Only hundred feet away they stopped again. Everyone but Davis and Tai stopped.

"Wargreymon!" He heard Tai yell. "Open us a path!"

Wargreymon didn´t answer, just changed his tactic as did the others.  
>Joe half wondered what they could possibly gain by going themselves. Phelsmon was an ultra for goddess shake, but then again that was part of both ot their characters. Recklessness and not thinking. Joe watched them push forward only to be locked by another Digimon again, which was kicked or tackled out of their way shortly after. He had always been respected Tai for that kind of persistence but at the same time he wished for their leader to be more careful. Watching this was not good for already raw nerves.<p>

A bone ripping scream silenced the battlefield yet again. Joe searched for the source and ended up grapping his doctor bag and taking off after Tai and Davis. This was the Digiworld. It was not impossible for someone to survive a stab through the chest. He could beat himself for not realizing that earlier.

The boy didn´t stop screaming and Joe saw him gripping the arm at his gut and struggle painfully, as if trying to get the claw out of his chest. His eyes were strangely empty and unfocused, seeing a different reality.  
>The situation changed after the most painful scream yet.<br>Joe couldn´t belive his eyes. To him it seemed now as if the boy wanted to stop the claw from leaving. The bones shone through his skin. Blood dripping from the many wounds he had endured. Dyeing the grass red.  
>He didn´t succeed. As the claw left him the boy became unnatural silent and still. Not moving a muscle. Or maybe he couldn´t move.<br>Joe noticed that Phelsmon had pulled something red out of the boy, but that wasn´t important. He wrestled with his sanity, because he saw that there was no wound whatsoever where the claw had left the body. And yet the boy seemed like dead -and maybe he was- when Phelsmon dropped him and lifted a glass container instead. A triumphant smile on his face.  
>Joe had left half the distance behind him, Davis and Tai even more.<p>

"You want him?" Joe heard Phelsmon ask after he had put the red object- a flame as Joe saw now- into the glass bottle. "You can have him." He kicked the boy towards Tai and Davis, who caught him in midair.  
>Phelsmon no longer bothered with them.<p>

"We are done here!" He took off into the sky. The Digmon and Drimogemon started to retreat as well, Joe realized when he crossed the field almost unhindered.

"Don´t let him get away,WarGreymon! Shoot him down!" Tai ordered angry, putting the boy slowly down at the ground before running off.  
>Joe heard another battle erupt above him, but he paid it no mind.<p>

"Joe, something is wrong with him!" Davis informed him just as Joe arrived.

The boy was alive, but… Blood had colored his uniform red. His entire body was covered in scratches and open wounds. His brown eyes were glazed over starring into empty space. The boy´s breathing was irregular and short. As if gasping for air. From time to time a finger twitched, revealing the bare skin he gained from gripping too hard.

Joe immediately started checking for problems with his lungs. There were none.  
>Then it had to be mentally. He couldn´t do anything about that. Only hope that the boy had enough will to live left. Joe was about to start treating a wound at the shoulder when he noticed the breathing rhythm change. He halted his action. It turned to fast and short breaths. Shaking the boy´s entire body in the process.<br>He hyperventilated.

"Gaia Force!"

To Joe´s shame his attention was momentarily caught by WarGreymon´s attack.  
>The red ball of energy closed in on Phelsmon and for a second Joe thought that would be the end of him, but it wasn't. He saw Phelsmon raise the glass container against the attack.<br>At the same time the boy rose swaying to his feet. Joe wanted to push him back down but retreaded a few steps instead. The boy was radiating with such heat that Joe had to retread if he didn´t want to get burned.  
>Davis and Tai were long lost on the battlefield and no one else seemed to notice. Everyone´s attention was on Phelsmon and GaiaForce in the sky.<br>Just as GaiaForce made contact with it´s victim the boy started screaming again. His face showing terrible pain. Tears were streaming down from his blue eyes but evaporated before they could even reach his chin.  
>Joe watched frozen as the boys expression turned from pain to determination. Simultaneous the GaiaForce in the sky had died out and revealed an unharmed Phelsmon to eveyones surprise.<br>Joe retreated another step when the boy suddenly started burning.  
>He was still screaming. But it was different now. It was no longer caused by pain.<p>

Phelsmon looked down at the boy with an amused smile. But his expression turned to shock immediately.  
>It quickly glanced at the glass container in his claws and then back to the boy. As if seeing a connection. Joe, too, realized something. The flame in the container was resonating with the boy. The bigger the boys flames got, the bigger the flame in the container grew.<p>

"Stop that!" Phelsmon screamed and it shot towards them. Trident ahead like a lance ready to impale whatever crossed it´s path. WarGreymon and Imperialdramon quickly caught it far away from them in midair.  
>"STOP IT!" Phelsmon shouted. Joe returned his attention to the boy. Wondering what made Pheslsmon that desperate.<br>By now the boy was completely covered by a flaming cloak. And yet the fire did not spread to the plain. Only the boy was burning, beaming in bright orange blazes.  
>It was as like the flames had a will, Joe thought.<br>The fire grew bigger and brighter with the boy´s raising voice. As did the flame in the container.  
>With a new yell the container burst.<p>

The voice overlapped with a dreadful roar as the flames covering him took form.  
>Joe watched in awe; two shadows were looming in the flames. Both bigger than the boy. One had the size of a tall human; the other was about WarGreymon´s high. But neither was human.<p>

Both, the shadows and the flames disappeared when the boy´s voice finally died out.

Joe saw the boy sink to the ground with an expression of utter happiness.  
>Again everything was quiet.<br>Joe was the first to snap out of it this time. He hurried back to the boy´s side to tread the injuries.  
>He ignored the new battle between a running Phelsmon and Imperiadramon. The other two Mega remained to stand guard.<p>

* * *

><p>"Good job, everyone."<p>

"Yeah, good job my ass," Tai mumbled out of the mountain that has come into existence in Izzy´s room." We were too late in case you forgot."

"Not quiet. He is still alive, isn´t he?"Izzy pointed out.

"That depends; does it count as alive if one starts burning at random moments?" Tai countered while he crawled out of the mountain.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, while I treated him he started to burn sometimes. Not all over, but like his arms or cheeks; he reduced half of my bandages to ashes." Joe´s voice explained from somewhere. Tai couldn´t see him from his position on the ground.

"Really?" Tai saw curiosity sparkle in Izzy´s eyes. But he caught himself.

"Yeah, that´s why we should hurry and get him out of this mountain. I don´t want to end up like the bandages." Half freed Tai searched for a bandaged body in the mountain on top of him. "There he is. Below TK. Mind pulling him out, Izzy? But be careful, he isn´t exactly in the best of states."

"Or so I heard." Izzy proceeded to untangle limps and heads with the help of some already freed others.

"Ken and Davis are following Phelsmon, did you know?" Tai asked while he was still rendered immobile on the ground.

"Yeah, Yolei send a report a few minutes ago. I don´t think it was such a good idea. Even if Imperialdramon is a Mega. But Davis won´t listen of course."

"Why? It´s not like Phelsmon could defeat him." Cody stated from the side lines. He didn´t want to be in the way.

"Phelsmon shouldn´t have been able to catch up to MetalGarurumon, either. And yet he did."

"I was wondering about that. It followed me the whole time, and then it appeared in front of us. How is that possible?" Gabumon, too, had moved to the side lines.

"Not to mention the ambush." Matt added from above Tai somewhere. "Or are you saying he had all the Digimon on standby for god knows how long?"

"I don´t know. It is really disturbing. I need to discuss this with Gennai before I can say anything.  
>Anyway, Cody would you mind getting my mom? We need somebody to take care of our patient."<p>

"Shouldn´t he go to the hospital?" Cody asked.

"You´d have to ask Joe about that, but he can´t go to the hospital either way. He starts burning, right? We can´t exactly go and say: 'please take care of him, but be careful he might start burning. You need to watch him 24/7 or the hospital will get reduced to rubble.' We can´t do that."

Cody nodded and left the other Digidestined to themselves, while he went to tell Mrs. Izumi.

"So what do we do now?" Kari asked when she sat down on Izzy´s bed. Gatomon on her shoulder.

"Are you going to send us searching again?" Tai was finally able to stand up. The room was cramped with Digimon and humans.

"Yeah, we only found one. 5 are still left."

"And we don´t even get an explanation? I for my part sure would like to know what´s going on with these children. He was on fire, Izzy! He was burning like a human torch. And even more important, Phelsmon was able to withstand a full power GaiaForce." Tai remembered with a frown how Phelsmon didn´t even get a scratch.

"It can´t be helped. We don´t have time. Joe will remain here to describe exactly what has happened. Representative or not, no human should be able to survive a stab through the chest after all."

"So they are human?"Gatomon wondered." But I did hear a roar. Are you sure?"

"I heard that too!" All eyes turned to Agumon. "It was a dragon´s roar! I know it!"

"I heard two other voices." Gabumon added.

"Well, whatever it was, I will mail you after I got a clear understanding of the situation. Who wants to go first? I set the gate to the Giga House."

* * *

><p>After a few minutes Izzy´s mother had picked the boy up and the only ones left to go were Mimi and Cody.<p>

"Cody can go ahead. Palmon and I still have something we want to ask." Mimi gestured towards the screen.

"But we have too." Armadimon protested.

Izzy raised an eyebrow at them. "Then just ask. We don´t have time. It was already way too close for comfort this time."

Mimi and Palmon traded unsure glances. To Izzy´s surprise Armadimon and Cody did the same.

"Well, you see…",Palmon started, "in this battle it felt like something was… blocking my strength. I couldn´t move as I wanted to."

Izzy raised his second eyebrow. He looked at Armadimon.

"My movements were stopped. And I felt weak. I almost devolved."

Izzy sighed. It wasn´t unexpected, but he could hope, right?

"I wrote that in my mail, didn´t I. If the enemy gets their hands on these children we would lose our means to fight back.  
>That is what I was talking about. Sadly this only confirms that they indeed have earth and wood already.<br>See what I mean? If the enemy gets their hands on a representative even attacks like GaiaForce of the same element are completely useless.  
>We mustn´t let the enemy have them.<br>Luckily fire is save for now, which means that all fire type-digimon are free of enemy influence. So they don´t run the danger of ending up like the Digimon you fought.

The Digmon and Drimogemon were most likely controlled with the earth´s representative. If the enemy gets all of them ther would be no element left that could damage the opponent. Not even darkness."

"Wait a minute, doesn´t that mean that there are more than six?" Cody asked confused. "For each element one, right? That makes ten."

"No." Izzy shoke his head and prepared the next portal, "Earth, Water, Wood and Steal don´t have human representatives. In fact they don´t even have a physical body. And that is the reason why we assume that the enemy already has these four by the way. Without a body they couldn´t resist during the dimensional breach."

"Resist what?"

"The enemy of course. Apparently the representatives were kidnapped from their home dimension. And only the children managed to escape."

"How do you know all that?"Armadimon wondered aloud.

Izzy smiled. "Because the second the dimensional breach happened Gennai was contacted by that dimensions digital ruler. Same as Quinglongmon here. We got some information from her.

So who wants first now?" Izzy stepped aside and revealed a waste desert on the screen.

* * *

><p>-Hours earlier-<p>

"The signal is getting stronger!" The voice of a young man shouted.

"Keep recording the data!" Gennai was standing in a huge room with several lookalikes and shouting orders. "Henry, be careful with the identification! Harry, make sure you calculate the landing point!"

The room was oval and filled with countless technical equipment. Genais lookalikes attended to one each writing furiously notes down.  
>Despite the seriousness and hectic it was almost too quiet for Gennai´s taste. The whole situation did not sit well with him.<br>The signal they been receiving for the past hours had suddenly grown stronger and almost doubled its size. This was the climax, Gennai was sure, but he didn´t like it one bit. Whatever comes had almost made it. Gennai looked at the huge monitor that hung from the ceiling. It showed a continuously rising line. As if the line was climbing a steep mountain. Soon it would be a vertical line. Gennai guessed that then the 'visitors' would arrive.  
>Almost. He felt his hand getting sweaty. Almost. He swallowed his nervousness and continued to stare.<br>Simultaneous with the fall of the line a loud noise filled the room.

"Gennai! We have an incoming transmission!" One of his lookalikes reported, offering him a headset.

"Keep record of everything that is going on!" He ordered before listening to the transmission.

"_This is….mon….Clestial….spirits….ores….stol….children….wer…." _Gennai typed a few orders into a machine and pressed some buttons. Shortly afterwards the transmission was clear of noises.

"_This is Ofanimon of the Clestial Digimon. The spirits of our Warriors were stolen. Six responding children have disappeared as well. Request answer." _A woman´s voice kept repeating the message. After a second of consideration Gennai decided to answer. Ofanimon was an angel type Digimon after all. And one of the strongest at that.  
>The possibility of a fake remained however.<p>

"This is Gennai, subordinate of Lord Quinglongmon. Lady Ofanimon, what makes you contact us?"Gennai questioned the Angel.  
>"Make the signal stronger." He whispered to his clone.<p>

"_I thank you very much for responding to our call, Gennai.  
>My name is Ofanimon and I´m one of this dimensions rulers. I fear my reason for contact is not a pleasant one. This dimensions protectors- the Legendary Warriors' spirits- have been stolen removed from here. Six Destined children have disappeared as well. We traced the signal and have reached you. I ask, is it possible that said have arrived in your dimension?"<em>

"I am very sorry, Lady Ofanimon, but as long as our side has no way of confirming your identity I cannot answer that question." He looked for confirmation to his co-workers. "However we are working on establishing visual contact."

"…_.I see. Please do your best. In the meantime I shall inform you only with knowledge of our stolen spirits and children. In the wrong hands said ones pose a huge thread, but because we are not able to confirm your identity either the information shall be kept to a minimum. Is that quite all right with you?"_ The woman's voice didn´t waver, but Gennai thought he could hear worry buried beneath a diplomatic voice.

"It is. Please proceed."

"_Very well. _

_Our Spirit System consists of 10 different warriors.  
>We suspect that six of the spirits resonated with their responding Digidestined when they were stolen and –maybe from both sides, spirits and children unintentional- summoned the children with them into the rift. Should that be the case six spirits would have united with the children, or so we believe. The other four Spirits however do not possess a physical body."<em>

"Understood."

"_The children are between 13 and 16 years old. We ask that you inform them of the situation and if possible take care of them until we have found a way to make a return possible."_

"If I may ask, Lady Ofanimon, what would make someone want to steal said spirits?"

"_I´m sorry, but I shall not answer that question." _

"Indeed." Gennai finally answered. He had a lot to take in." I can establish a visual." Gennai´s eyes flashed to the speaker. "Then do so now." Gennai hoped to catch the other side off guard so that the had no time to prepare fakes or an illusion.

Gennai looked up at the hanging monitor. It blacked out for second before showing a beautiful female angel Digimon and two other angels in the background. Gennai recognized them immediately. They were all powerful holy angel type Digimon. He made a quick bow.

"Lady Ofanimon, Lord Cherubimon, Lord Serafimon. Please allow me to apologize for my previous rudeness."

Ofanimon smiled gently. _"It matters not_. _We only worry about the children."_

"I do not know if our information can ease my lady's worries, but we have indeed confirmed a breach in our dimension since yesterday. It reached its climax just as my lady contacted us. We, however are still not accustomed to dimensional reactions which is why we don´t know what has entered.  
>It was described as a 'huge existence' by a Digidestined, who felt the breach. " Gennai wondered if he should have said matter how accurate it was but a feeling, nothing scientific.<p>

"_Thank you very much. Then our children must have arrived already. A Spirit´s existence is quite 'huge' as you put. I trust they are save under Lord Quinglongmon´s rule?"_

"It hurts me to disappoint you, Lady Ofanimon.  
>We are currently facing a crisis; an army consisting of a few hundred evil ultimate and mega level Digimon has invaded our dimension. Or so we believe. Just yesterday we have confirmed a moving stronghold-<p>

"_A moving stronghold, you say?_

_Oh my, please excuse my interruption."_

"Yes, and the leader has been identified as a Phelsmon. We are currently in no position to guarantee your children´s safety. I am very sorry. " He lowered his gaze apologetic. He didn´t like to pass bad news to the angels. He was programmed to pay highest respect to holy Digimon and not to disappoint them.

"May I ask, as Digidestined shouldn´t the children be protected by their partners? "

"…"

"Lady Ofanimon?" The Digimon had turned around and appeared to be talking about something with her fellow angels. It wasn´t transmitted what they were talking about, but it seemed to be a heated discussion.

After a few minutes she returned her attention to Gennai.

"_I would like to know, the moving stronghold -as you described it- did it happen to be as huge as an entire city? Was it shaped like horizontal hourglass colored in black?" _

"So I have been told." A bad foreboding made it´s way to Gennai´s conscience. He didn´t like the underlying note in her voice.

"_I see. It seems that your dimension has caught the attention of some rather cunning Digimon. _

_I am sorry to inform you, but Phelsmon is not the leader. It is but one out of many subordinates. The highest in command we know of is a Murmukusmon. And it too is not the leader. _

_What worries me however, is the fortress. It is made of a special material that has close relations with every element. There is little hope that said ones are not the culprits who stole our Spirits.  
>The Spirits are representatives of one element each and wield power over it. Should the spirits be fused with the fortress I dare say that it would become resistant to every element and as such invulnerable."<em>She continued in a sad voice.

_"Sadly there is more; if utilized correctly said enemy might gain control over every Digimon with said attribute._

_Would you please tell me, what kind of readings did the dimensional breach produced?"_

"The signal seemed to have split in seven once it entered," Gennai informed her as soon as he found out himself.

"_That I feared. We suspect that one of the seven readings symbolizes four spirits without a human host. The four had no body to resist the thief with and were taken quietly." _  
>A small smile appeared on Ofanimons lips.<em> "The other six are most likely the children. It matters not how strong a Digimon is; during a dimension breach will power is more important than physical strength. As DigiDestined our children all have quite a strong will. There is no doubt in my mind that the children managed to escape; especially with the spirits backing them."<em>The smile disappeared from her lips and voice.

_Previously you ….. partners would protect ….." _Lady Ofanimon showed no sign that she noticed the sudden static interference, but Gennai had no doubt that she hurried with the transmission; wanting to get as many information over to them as possible.

…_.not know what partner means in your dimension, but let me inform …. children cannot protect themselves. Even if the Spirits are with them, without a Digivice they cannot ….. but exist within the host body. _

_Let ….., the Spirits ….enemy possesses now are ….. of water, ear…, steel and wood. ….children ….. Spirits of fire, wind,… ,thun…., light and …... as you …. have gue….._

…_.. no….now ...det…. of …ation, but …ad…. -"_ The connection died and static replaced the three angels on the monitor.

"What to do now?" Gennai mumbled to himself. His priority had just changed to an all-out race against an evil army with possible control over about 40% of al Digimon in existence.

"Someone summarize the events and sent a report to Lord Quinglongmon!  
>From now on our priority is to get those children to safety, preferably to the human world!" Gennai put the headset down." Harry, do you have the locations?"<p>

"No, our radars are being jammed. I can´t pick anything up."

"Keep trying and inform me as soon as you get something. And someone order a search of the entire Digiworld! Not one of us can be allowed to do nothing. If we lose this race our chances of victory will be annihilated!" Gennai left the room and made his way through the castle to his own personal office. He had to mail Izzy and get the Digidestined to move.

* * *

><p>Another chapter done.<br>I must have twisted my brain trying to make Ofanimon speak as elegantly as possible. xd

At this rate it is only a matter of time until i won´t be able to keep up my uploading speed. I guess it is to be expected. I´ve almost caught up with my imagination, but let see how far i can go.

Again, please review with possible criticism and mistakes.

special thanks to Sightbent for the reviews.


	6. Hell s hole

Piyomon=Biomon

* * *

><p>It was dark. So awfully dark. So deep. So endless.<br>How could that be? Where was the light? Where was it? It had to be somewhere. Where? Why didn´t he see it?  
>There was nothing but darkness around. It was wrong, without light it was wrong. He tried to gain awareness of his surroundings.<br>What was he doing here? What was he supposed to do?  
>But without light there was nothing he could do, nothing to do but staring into the darkness and hoping for the light to come.<p>

* * *

><p>Two weeks had passed.<br>Two weeks of nothingness. Literally. After the hit on the first day they had found nothing. And after Ken and Davis had lost track of Phelsmon they hadn´t even seen the army again. Villages were still getting grounded, though.  
>Izzy typed unmotivated some commands into his computer. Was there some place they hadn´t searched yet? Some way to sip by? Some kind of possibility they had overseen? Nothing. They had so few search results that Izzy considered searching the Dark Ocean as well.<br>One could see it as part of the Digiworld if one wanted.  
>Gennai said they wouldn´t need to. The Dark Ocean wasn´t really part of the Digiworld. He said it wasn´t possible to enter the Dark Ocean without alarming the sensors. Even after Izzy pointed out that there was a kid with the Spirits of Darkness Gennai persisted that the Dark Ocean was a waste of time.<br>He sighed.  
>Even if they decided to search the Dark Ocean the Digidestined couldn´t go there. Only Ken and Kari have ever gone there and both did it unintentional. And Gennai and his lookalikes couldn´t leave the Digiworld. Hence the search would stop before it even began. Plus there was Daemon to consider.<br>On second thought it was best if they just forgot about it, Izzy concluded.

He sighed again. Izzy couldn´t help but feel that he overlooked something.

Gennai hadn´t been able to contact Ofanimon and the boy hadn´t woken up either. His body was almost healed and the random fires had almost stopped. But he just didn´t wake up.  
>Gennai had run a scan on him a few days ago but it get any results. Dr. Kido checked on him once, too. No results either. He had only said that some people never woke up from a coma and had wanted to transfer the boy to a hospital so that he could run some other tests, but dropped the idea after Izzy told him about his suddenly-starting- to-burn habit.<br>The Yagami´s were taking care of the boy right now. His mother had a job and couldn´t watch the boy 24/7 in case he stated a little fire.

Today was the second day of the two days of holidays the Digidestined had allowed themselves.  
>Worn out one could neither fight nor think. Hence the two days of rest. Today was also the day they would hold a meeting for the first time in two weeks. Izzy had explained the absolute minimum to the others per mail. He didn´t want to confuse them, but today he would explain every detail. Staring by the Spirits, ending by the fortress.<br>His voice started hurting already.

Izzy sighed again and pressed the enter button. A new program was finished.

Just on time; the doorbell rang. Announcing the arrival of the first of 11 others.

* * *

><p>It was dark. Still so dark. Terribly dark.<p>

This darkness was different from before.

This darkness was tight, not wide. He felt cornered. This darkness was evil.

Where was he? Who was he? And where was the light? Without light the evil was going to overtake the darkness. Where was it?

He wanted to look around, but couldn´t. He couldn't move a limb. Compared to before he was nailed in place. He couldn´t even breathe. However he didn´t feel the need to either.

* * *

><p>"So they are carrying their partner inside of them?"<p>

"Was that the most important thing you got of this conversation, Davis?" Izzy didn´t even raise an eyebrow at him.

"No, but I just thought that it must be amazing." Davis couldn´t help but imagine what it would feel like to have Chibimon trapped inside of him. He wouldn´t need to worry about getting no breakfast.

"I don´t like your face, Davish." He looked down at Chibimon in his lap. Chibimon had a worried/afraid expression. Davis had to hide a smile.

"Nah, don´t worry about it, Chibimon."Since he wasn´t one of these other children it wasn´t possible for him in the first place.

"If you say so, Davish." Chibimon didn´t seem convinced.

"To answer your question, yes they do."

"Must have been frustrating to watch his partner get hurt." Piyomon voiced. Davis immediately felt guilty for thinking selfishly when he watched the faces of the Digimon fall. Not being able to protect their partners was by far one of the most painful experiences they have had so far.  
>Even if Chibimon always stole his breakfast he didn´t want to pain his partner.<p>

A knock on the door pulled them out of depressing silence.  
>Only Mrs. Izumi´s head entered the room. Davis guessed she didn´t want to cramp the room any more than it already was. Mrs. Izumi searched the room until she locked on to Tai.<p>

"Mrs. Yagami is on the phone." She informed their leader. "She wants to talk to you."

Davis heard the leaving Tai curse something about 'damm experiments'; a chill ran down his spine.  
>Davis had eaten Mrs. Yagamis homemade food only once, and he most certainly didn´t want to try it again. Davis saw equally pitiful expressions on the other Digidestined´s faces .<p>

* * *

><p>He finally came to the conclusion that this darkness was wrong. It was evil, limited and lightless. True darkness was always in some way close to light. Like two sides of a medal. But this darkness was nothing like that.<br>Yes, it was definitely wrong.

He could feel other presences, but where the owners were he couldn´t tell. And he couldn´t move to search for them either.

* * *

><p>"My son says he and his friends would like to meet you. Do you think you feel well enough to walk?" The young mother- Mrs. Yagami- asked him.<p>

"I sure do, Mrs. Yagami." Takuya took his empty plate and put it on top of the dishwasher."Your food was delicious, by the way."

"Oh my, thank you.  
>My children never finish their plate and always say I need to practice more." Mrs. Yagami handed him a coat from the wardrobe."Agumon eats everything, though."<p>

It caught Takuya a bit of guard that she mentioned a Digimon off handed like it was an everyday business. Then again, maybe it was.  
>After Takuya had awoken a few minutes ago and reconsidered what had happened so far he tended to think that this was a different dimension after all. Plus he had tried to call his home; unsurprisingly the number wasn´t in use.<br>But what made him believe in a different dimension the most was that Agnimon and Vitramon were still inside him. It was impossible for Digimon to enter _his_ Human World.

Mrs. Yagami locked the door behind them and led the way out of the apartment complex.  
>Questions were swirling in his head and he decided to get a few answers from the mother.<p>

"Mrs Yagami," he started, not sure how much the mother knew or not knew," is your son Digidestined?"

Takuya saw the mother´s jaw tighten. He didn´t need to hear her speak to know the answer.

"He is. My daughter is, too." Parental worry erasing her usual good mood. "I really wish they would have chosen another hobby." Hobby?

"You are too, right? My son said so."

"Yes."

"Do your parents know?"

"No."

"Do they know where you are? Or at least that you are save?"

"I don´t know." Takuya watched his breath turn white in the cold.  
>He didn´t want to think what his mother might be thinking. Maybe Lady Ofanimon or his friends had taken care of that. No, wait, what did that clown say?<br>'Which are you, fire, light, wind, ice, thunder or darkness?' He sighed. So they were here as well. Then only Lady Ofanimon could have taken care of his parents.  
>Or maybe time didn´t move as fast as it did here. But something said him it did.<br>Lucemon´s almost-invasion made the Digiworld´s time adapt to the human worlds. Huh? How did he know that?

"We are here. " Mrs. Yagami had let him into another apartment complex and pressed the doorbell. 'Izumi' was written on the door.

A woman with reddish brown hair opened and welcomed him and in. She introduced herself as Mrs. Izumi.  
>Takuya gapped himself a pair of slippers and added his borrowed shoes to the already huge amount.<p>

Mrs. Izumi showed him to one of the rooms. She said the others were inside and left to make some tea for her guests. Who 'the others' were Takuya had no idea. He hoped the boy who saved him – Matt- was one of them, though. He still had to thank him. Takuya knocked and opened the door slowly.

Way too many eyes were staring at him.  
>Feeling awkward Takuya did the only thing he could.<p>

* * *

><p>What happened? The darkness became wide again. The evil has disappeared. He could move again. His sense of self had returned. But he still didn´t know where he was.<p>

He halted his steps. Something was out there. He hadn´t noticed it before, but looking back he was sure the ever growing presence had been there before the darkness had changed. Only it was stronger now. And maybe…he wasn´t sure…this presence was evil as well.

"Where is light?"

* * *

><p>"Hi there." The boy had raised one hand in greeting.<p>

The news of the his awakening had caused chaos among the Digidestined, speculations on his character were wildly popular until Matt burst the bubble of excitement by saying that as a goggle head the boy had to be a third Tai. Kari had seen Izzy create a mental list of things he wanted to know, but now everyone was quiet,looking at a boy who was maybe a bit older than Kari herself. Everything but his khaki hat and square goggles were clothes Tai had out grown. He wore black pants and a brown sweater.

The boy entered the room and closed the door quietly behind him. Of course Kari had seen him already, everyone had, but moving and speaking he gave her a different impression than as a not moving body. She wasn´t sure what to make of the atmosphere surrounding him; it made her nostalgic. Whether that was a good thing or not she didn´know.

"You wanted to meet me?" He finally started because no one else said a word.  
>"I´m Takuya, Takuya Kanbara, by the way." He said and sat down on the floor next to Cody and Armadimon; feeling awkward as the only one standing, Kari guessed.<br>He looked around questioning. It was rude not to say a thing, but Kari didn´t know what to say either. She glanced at the two goggle heads at the other end of the room, thinking that one of them or Izzy would break the silence.

"You are Matt, aren´t you?" She heard Takuya ask a second later. "Thanks for saving me back then," He added after Matt nodded.

"Well, I didn´t do much of a good job." Matt answered. To strangers he might sound indifferent but Kari heard lingering frustration in his voice.  
>Takuya just grinned and waved his hand in an indifferent manner. "Who cares? I´m alive, aren´t I?" It striked Kari as a sign of great optimism.<p>

"If you say so."Matt still didn´t want to forget that failure.

"What´s it like to carry your partner inside of you?" Davis exited voice dispelled the awkwardness completely. Tai gave him a punch to the shoulder. "Wrong question, Davis.

How are you feeling?" Tai added exemplarily.

Takuya smiled. "Good. Better than I have for a long time."

"And your partner?" Kari saw confusion hush over Takuya`s face, but a wide grin replaced it fast.

"You mean my Spirits? Agnimon and Vitramon are fine too, just really out of it because they were stuck watching two weeks ago. Nothing time can´t heal."He continued to smile in a carefree manner.

"You have two? What element besides fire do you have? You are fire right? My name is Koushiro Izumi by the way, but everyone calls me Izzy. We heard from Ofanimon that each of you only represent one element.  
>And do you have any idea where the other representatives could have ended up? We can´t find them. " Izzy had his computer ready to note down every word Takuya was going to say. But instead of helpful information a frown appeared on Takuya´s face; breaking his smile. A shame, Kari thought.<p>

"Representative? What are you talking about? I only have the Spirits of fire with me. What has Lady Ofanimon told you? " Kari felt as confused as Takuya looked. Wasn´t Ofanimon like Gennai to her and the others? Why would she give Gennai wrong information?"But before we get to that, could someone explain the situation to me? I am kind of lost here." Kari returned her attention to Takuya and felt kind of bad for forgetting about his problems. She had only worried about her own situation. Takuyas was - if that was possible- even worse.  
>The others traded glances and Tai started to explain and introduce everyone.<p>

* * *

><p>He was alone again. Not really alone, there were presences all around him, but a strong presence he had felt was gone.<p>

He drifted off again, he couldn´t move and had nothing left to do but to wait for the light to come.

* * *

><p>How did one call this? There was an expression that described his situation perfectly, but Takuya didn´t remember it.<p>

Not only was he lost in a different dimension, but apparently he and his friends were the key to victory for an evil army?  
>To make things worse Agnimon and Vitramon were seriously depressed because they <em>might<em> have caused him to be dragged along on this crazy trip and get hurt in the process. Nothing he said to them got through. Geez, they were both so terribly stubborn. It didn´t exactly help that Takuya wasn´t going to be able to evolve either. At least not as long as connections to his world were disturbed.  
>Just great.<br>And to make the whole thing into a full grown disaster no one but him had been found in_ two weeks_.  
>That was really nerve wrecking. Every last one of his friends were experienced enough to find their way around in a Digital World and to find out that they were searched for by other Digidestined. Even if Koji would decide not to trust the word that was going around, some of the others would. The only conclusion Takuya reached was that all of them had already been captured. ...Well, maybe Koichi hadn´t, but depending on the situation that might just be the greater of two evils.<p>

Or his friends ripped apart from their Spirits and were lying unconscious somewhere in the Digiworld. Nothing was really promising about either way.

Just now Takuya had explained the whole spirit business in more detail, including the fact that each element had two Spirits that symbolize one entirety, that no Spirit had a physical body and that he was more like a host or a vessel to let them materialize. It seemed that his listeners didn´t understand that part and Izzy had wanted to ask about that in detail, but was out done by Takuya´s question about evil places in the Didiworld.

"What do dark places matter? It´s not like we found you on a burning plain." TK pointed out.  
>Takuya had to suppress a smile at that. From what he had heard he had been damm close to setting a whole plain on fire. If he hadn´t been so focused on reclaiming his Spirits Takuya had no doubt that he would have burned down the plain in the same way he destroyed a nearly infinite amount of bandages.<br>But they didn´t need to know that.

"Well, that is true, but Darkness is different," he stated the obvious, ignoring the dark shadows in some eyes. Takuya didn´t need and didn´t want to know what issues this Digidestined had with darkness, Koichi was different from average darkness, after all. In the same way that Takuya was different from an average fire Digimon. "You see, we don´t just represent one element, we are the very embodiment of it." Huh? This was the first time he heard that. "Darkness itself is not evil. It just tends to attract evil. So I´d guess that it is possible that Koichi ended up in some kind of evil place.  
>Not because he wanted, but because that evil wanted him to land there. "He quickly added when he saw some of the Digidestined´s expressions turn to something he couldn´t identify.<br>"If there would be dark typ digimon, they could feed of Koichi`s darkness and become stronger,"he explained further. "Or corrupt Koichi, but let's hope that doesn´t happen." Nope, Takuya really didn´t want that. Without Koji he´d kind of be at Duskmon´s mercy. Ah… even with Koji the situation wouldn´t change. There was not a single D-tector to purify him with. But wait, could Koichi even become Duskmon without a D-tector?  
>Uhhh…he could.<p>

"So, is there a place like that?"

"The first place that comes to mind is the army, but it has kind of disappeared."Izzy had a card of the Digiworld at his screen, searching for a place that would fit the description.

"Why´s that?"

"We don´t know, but other than the army there shouldn´t be any evil places or digimon left. Our world was really peaceful."

The Digidestined became quiet, remembering good old times, Takuya guessed.

Eventually somebody spoke up. "I know a place." Ken said in a low voice. "The place, where…. I recovered Devimon´s data..."

Ken avoided eye contact and looked down at Wormmon in his lap. Takuya wasn´t all that sensitive, but he still felt the depressing silence and sad looks. He would have had to be Koji to not notice. He could almost see it after all.

"The huge whirlpool?" A frown appeared on half of the Digidestined and Digimon´s faces. A deep one, Takuya noticed.

"It really does fit the conditions. Izzy, send a mail to Gennai and ask for confirmation. If he agrees we´ll leave immediately. Does everyone feel good for battle? Agumon?"

"I´m all good to go, Tai." The orange reptile got to his feet and walked to the door. "I´ll just go and eat something, I ´m starving!" A few other Digimon followed. Takuya smiled. The only thing they worried about before going into a possible battle was food. That was the right attitude. No need to become a nervous wreak.

"So, how are we going to the Digiworld?"

The Digidestined stared at him as if he had just announced the end of the world. "You aren´t going." What? Tai voiced what Takuya guessed to be everyone's thoughts. Of course he was going. There was no way he wouldn´t.

"Why not?" There better be a sound reason for that stupid statement. Takuya was definitely not going to sit around doing nothing while his friend might be facing god knows what and possible inner demons.

"Because you are targeted. We´d be stupid to bring you back to where the enemy´s gasp can reach. And you don´t have a Digivice to enter the Digiworld with in the first place."

"Ahm…, I don´t know the conditions of entering and exiting the Digital World here, but your Digimon are here, aren´t they. What makes you think the enemy can´t come here?" The Digidestined traded glances and Tai was about to speak again, but Izzy interrupted him as worry appeared more and more on his face.

"He is right, Tai!  
>We just assumed that a Digivice was needed to exit the Digiworld. Untill now it had not been possible otherwise. Except the gate in the castle. But maybe we are wrong. There have been cases of Digimon appearing. Remember when we went to the Digiworld for the first time? The weather had been affected by some.<br>But what´s more, Takuya is here, isn´t he? He exited the Digital World just fine. Even if Gennai had had a hand in this, he still passed through the gate without a Digivice…." His frown deepened as he drifted off into his thoughts.  
>"No way!" He startled everyone before he turned around and began typing faster than Takuya could see.<p>

Takuya didn´t know what Izzy had found out, but it couldn´t be good. Tai and the others thought so too; this time they traded nervous glances.

"Ahm, Izzy?  
>Would you mind informing us of the new bad development?" Davis asked carfully, not wanting to interrupt Izzy in whatever he was doing, Takuya guessed.<p>

"…." He didn´t respond.  
>Slowly, Takuya wasn´t even sure if he wanted to know anymore. The discussion about him tagging along to the Digiworld had kind of disappeared, despite it being quite important. How did the saying go? Ignorance is bliss? It was so very true right now.<p>

Minutes passed. The Digimon returned; some still with leftovers stuck to their mouths.

"…"

"Izzy?"

Said whirled around with a serious and worried face.

"Situation has changed." He announced. "Takuya is coming along with you guys. And from now on we cannot allow him to be left unguarded for even a second." Okay, now what? How bad were the news?

Takuya wished there would finally be an end to the long list. Seriously, what else could possibly worsen the situation?

"What happened?" Kari finally asked.

"I just thought about it, and it is possible that Digivices are no longer needed to pass through the gate.  
>Hence the only reason that has kept the Human World save so far are the looks that Gennai placed over all the gates. I just mailed him my theory, because then the lock server in the castle could be targeted as well. But even if that is not the case, some evil Digimon might just end up here like many others before.<br>We cannot risk to leave Takuya unguarded. Thats is why it is safest to take him with you, where you can guard him."

He had lost Takuya after the first sentence, but Takuya still understood that it was really bad news. Seemed like the safety of the Human World was just added to the mix.

"But couldn´t just half of us remain here with him? Surely-" Mimi was interrupted before she could finish her thought.

"No. We are talking about that giant whirlpool and that many evil Digimon. If we split our forces we might end up losing on both sides.  
>Besides a moving target is much harder to catch. We will resort to splitting up in case Takuya isn´t able to enter the Digiworld. Gennai said that the changes he made to the gate to let him pass the first time have been reset.<br>Sadly, however, if he is able to enter my theory would be confirmed." He faced his PC again.

"I have the gate set up." He stepped to the side and made a gesture to proceed. Takuya didn´t quite get it.  
>What had a Pc to do with entering the Digital World? He voiced his question.<p>

"We enter the Didital World through the Pc. How did you guys do it?"

"With a train." They stared at him.

"You enter the Digital world with a train?" Takuya shrugged and ginned.

"Yeah. A Trailmon to be exact. Seems kind of lame compared to this, though."

* * *

><p>He took a step. But there was still no light. Nowhere. He was afraid.<br>When would the light come?  
>It was not the darkness that was scary. The presence had grown stronger. So much, that he feared it. It was really scary. And twisted.<p>

He looked around. There was another presence…no many other presences. Where did they come from? What should he do? They were scary. So scary. He didn´t dare to move anymore. What if a presence would hear him? What it they would attack him?

* * *

><p>It hurt. He didn´t know what, but it hurt. So much. Like his skin was burning. But that wasn´t it. He knew.<br>Even if he didn´t know where he was. Even if he was forgetting who he was, that he knew; there was no light here. So how could there be fire?  
>But where was the light if not here? It had to be around somewhere. It always was.<p>

The presences around him had become weaker. And that scared him. What if they disappeared? Would he be alone? He had never been alone. Never. The light had always been there.

* * *

><p>Takuya stared down.<br>He sat on Pegasusmon´s back and stared down. Down into the supposed-to-be whirlpool. Takuya would describe it more like a hole in the planet.  
>It was huge and black.<br>His instincts told him to stay far away from it. Unfortunately it was exactly the kind of place Koichi would end up in.  
>Agnimon and Vitramon agreed with him on both points, knowing the habits of darkness much better than him. Much to Takuyas relief both had momentarily forgotten to be depressed; Koichi, Lowemon and KaiserLeomon were their friends too, unlike Duskmon and Velgemon.<br>As Takuya looked into the dark hole one part of him wanted to jump right down and drag Koichi out –assuming he was down there and not captured- the second part cursed the from-time-to-time-overprotective little brother for not being here - seriously, who was better for this job than Koji?- and the third part- a part that Takuya soundly ignored- _really_ wanted to run away.

"What do you think of this place?" TK asked, clearly not thrilled by it himself.

"Same as you." Yep, that hole just screamed 'come and I´ll eat you'.

"And you still want to check it out?"

"Wouldn´t you if your friend was in there?" TK didn´t answer.

"So how do I get down there?" He questioned towards the huge number of flying Digimon.

"Kari and I will go with you.  
>Kari because she is light and I because WarGreymon is a mega." Takuya nodded and climbed over to Wargremon´s second shoulder. Tai was sitting on the first.<p>

"The others will stand guard up here." Tai informed him. "Izzy just mailed us saying that the whirlpool is poison to a normal human mind."

"How very fortunate that I don´t have a normal human mind. Do you?  
>If I´d pass out Agnimon or Vitramon would take over." After a second of considering he added more to himself, "at least I hope so.<p>

And you should hope that it´s Agnimon. Vitramon can be a little hard to get along with."

Tai just raised an eyebrow at him.  
>Takuya chuckled. He´d understand in the unlikely event that he would meet Vitramon face to face.<p>

* * *

><p>Finally done.<p>

But i´ve run into a little problem now. I caught up with what i have imagined so far.

And i am seriously tiered.  
>I do need up to 12 hours for one chapter. And that was when i had an idea what to write.<p>

But we´ll see what will happen.

Thanks to 10th Squad 3rd Seat and Sightbent for the reviews. :)


	7. Curse of Darkness

Darkness.  
>The presences had grown so strong, that he thought he could touch them if he just reached out.<p>

They were scary.  
>And evil. And wrong. He hugged his legs.<p>

Why didn´t the light come?

* * *

><p>In the beginning Kari thought she was lucky they decided to take flashlights along, but now she wondered if the bit of light provided made a difference.<p>

Tai and Takuya on WarGreymon´s shoulders were few feet further down than she was on Nefertimon´s back and yet the flashlight hardly reached them anymore. Dark fog was floating around, dimming all kinds of light. Kari looked back up, to where the blue sky should have been. It wasn´t there. The fog had already swallowed the sunlight. Had it not been for gravity, Kari wouldn´t have been able to tell up and down apart. She swallowed hard. It had been only about 10 minutes since they had entered the whirlpool.

She tightened her grip on Nefretimon´s fur. How much deeper did they have to descend?  
>What could possibly be down there that made even the sun avoid it?<p>

A few minutes later her flashlight lost even more of its effect. If WarGreymon hadn´t been within arm's reach she would have lost sight of her brother. And that possibility scared her.

Kari didn´t like this place. Not at all. She felt Nefertimon´s fur stand to its ends. It reeked of darkness and evil down here. No one should ever enter this place. Especially not light, like her.  
>Kari felt something press against her consciousness, demanding her retreat. Weak like it was now, Kari had nothing to fear, but if it got stronger it was different. She glanced over to Takuya, her brother and WarGreymon, wondering if they felt the same. Nefertimon did, she was sure, but compared to Kari Nefretimon was a complete light type digimon, she wouldn´t give in to darkness.<br>Kari was nothing but a human with the crest of light; she was perfectly able to crumble under the pressure.

And as Kari feared the pressure did increase. Once again she glanced over to her companions, entertaining the thought of voicing her concerns and, depending on the answer, turn back.

But as Kari watched, her brother and WarGreymon were starting to radiate in a strange orange light. Kari watched I awe as Tai –equally surprised- pulled his crest out. It was the source. Kari was about to check her own when she noticed, that she and Nefertimon too were glowing. In white.  
>Were the crests protecting them? Realizing something she looked over at Takuya. It was so dark she couldn´t see him.<p>

"Takuya, are you all right?"

"…"

"Takuya?" Tai turned to face him too.

"Huh? Yeah. I´m fine." Kari couldn´t see him, but guessed that he smiled in that carefree manner again. She wasn´t convinced. If Takuya was anything like her brother he would say that until he collapsed from who-knows-what. And that worried her. They were supposed to protect him. But stuck in the darkness there wasn´t anything she could do.

The thick fog cleared further down. It was still dark, but at least using a flashlight made sense again. Kari directed it downwards, hoping to see anything that might indicate that the goal –whatever that might be- was close. She didn´t spot anything.

"Takuya!" Tai´s surprised yelp made her jump.

A blur of color crossed the light of her flashlight, and Kari understood only later, when she pointed the light to Wargeymon`s now empty shoulder that Takuya had fallen. Both Digimon sped up, hoping to catch him, before he collided with possible ground. They didn´t get far. Dark soil appeared only few feet below. Kari took a relived deep breath. Takuya should have survived a fall from that high. But she didn´t get down from Nefertimon´s back to search. The ground gave her a bad feeling.

"Do you see him over there?" She heard Tai ask, his voice slightly shaken. Kari didn´t answer, instead she called out his name. If he was still conscious Takuya should answer.

"Wrong." A strong, yet slightly familiar voice said. Nefertiomon tensed beneath her. As did WarGreymon. Something moved in the darkness.  
>Kari narrowed her eyes, tying to see further in it. A shadow stepped into the light, revealing a completely healthy Takuya. His expression was kind of different, though. He smiled, but it was a stern smile, not Takuya´s usual – not that she knew him long enough to call it usual- carefree one. But the thing that ticked her off the most was blue eyes. Was that Takuyas natural eye color? She could swear she would have noticed.<p>

"I am Agnimon." After a blink of confusion Kari prepared for the worst. If there was something down here able to posses someone it was bound to be strong. And what had happened to Takuya? Was he still in there?

"You are Takuya´s partner?" Tai asked the Digimon. Agnimon nodded.

"Where is he?" Kari asked. Shuddering as memories of her own disappearance and time of being possessed surfaced. She pushed the memories out; that wasn´t important right now, she reminded herself.

"Gone." Agnimon gazed into the darkness his smile disappearing. "Taken by the nightmare that is filling this place." He turned around and headed back into the darkness. Tai attempted to climb of WarGreymon´s shoulder to follow Agnimon before he was swallowed by darkness again, Kari was about to do the same despite her uneasiness, when Agnimon stopped and faced them once again.

"I wouldn´t do that." Agnimon warned. Kari immediately stopped dismounting. As did Tai after a second of hesitation.  
>"What did you mean by 'taken by the nightmare'?" Kari asked when Nefertimon had caught up to Agnimon.<p>

He didn´t answer.

"Shouldn´t we go look for him?"

Still no answer. Agnimon just continued walking and scanning his surroundings. Was he ignoring her?

But, fine, if he didn´t want to talk she wouldn't ask. She didn´t want to test her patience on him in this place.  
>Tai apparently thought differently.<p>

"Where are we going?" Tai looked around as well, not knowing what to search for.

"Obviously I am searching for Koichi. He is the reason we are down in this hell´s hole."

"Uh…yeah…. I kind of forgot about that." Tai said putting a hand behind his head embarrassed. Kari had forgotten, too.  
>After a few minutes of unpleasant silence Tai asked the next question.<p>

"What about Takuya? Don´t we need to look for him, too? This nightmare business sounded pretty bad."

Kari saw a small grin lift Agnimon´s lips. A surprising act; considering his grim attitude. His grin was different from Takuya´s as well, she noted.

"No need. As my 'partner' he must burn a puny little nightmare like this to ashes." That might have sounded cold, but Kari heard nothing but absolute trust in Agnimon´s voice.

Kari was so busy admiring that she didn´t notice that Agnimon had just answered pretty much the same question he had ignored from her.

* * *

><p>Fading.<br>Disappearing.  
>Did it matter if he would just leave? It wouldn´t. Everyone else was disappearing, too. So why would he matter? Maybe, if he faded away the strong presence would be there.<p>

But what if not? What if nothing would change from now?

He decided to wait a bit longer.  
>What if the presence returned here and he was gone? Would it be alone? He didn´t want that.<br>So he waited.

* * *

><p>What now?<br>One moment he fell from WarGreymon´s shoulder and the next he stood in some place…dark.  
>Yep, that was how he would describe it. There wasn´t much of a choice, though. Takuya couldn´t even see his hands in front of his eyes. To top it all that wasn´t the biggest dilemma.<p>

Agnimon and Vitramon were gone.  
>Takuya clenched his chest. The hole there was something he had to get used to again. The past two weeks– even though he had been unconscious- he had been whole. It would take time to adapt to being alone again. When he had returned from the Digital World four years ago it had taken him a few months. That hadn´t exactly been the best time of his life. He sighed.<p>

But more pressing than that was to find out where he was…..once again. It was turning into a habit. A bad one at that. Takuya just hoped that this time he wouldn´t get beaten within an inch of his life.

Takuya would have liked to check his surroundings out, but seeing the darkness he scratched that from his to-do list. He took a step and smiled. He could move just fine. By just staying in place nothing would happen, hence he decided to search for... anything not dark.

* * *

><p>The boy –Koichi, she guessed- had unruly black medium long hair. He wore a uniform; a white shirt and green pants.<br>He was just lying on the ground a few feet away from Agnimon, WarGreymon, Nefertimon, Tai and her. Unconscious, Kari assumed.

Agnimon was about to take a step towards him when the ground began wobbling and blubbering. Growling furiously Nefertimon took off. But remained floating a few feet above the ground. She didn´t exactly have much space to evade to without losing sight of WarGreymon and Agnimon.

"_Who dares to enter our realm? Be gone, you worms."_ A voice demanded from all around. This was bad. Really bad. They had to get out of here. it was dangerous. Her eyes hushed over to Tai hoping to see her thoughts mirrored, but they weren´t. She followed his line of sight only to find Agnimon at the end. Deciding to trust her brothers judgment she stayed in place. Even if everything in her screamed otherwise.

"Look at what we have here….not quite what I expected, but well…. " Agnimon mused and took a step forward, right into the swaying mass. "I have no business with you cowards. I´m only here to pick my friend up." The swaying grew more violent at his words.

"_You shall not have him."_ A face appeared out of the waves, but Agnimon was unfazed. Very much unlike Kari. Her bones still shook from the voice.

_"Disappear!"_ To Kari the face resembled what she always imagined the devil to look like. Two curved horns growing out of the forehead, a third eye between them, narrow evil eyes and a huge mouth with fangs filling it´s face. Nefertimon hissed at it.

"Try and stop me." Agnimon challenged and cowered down to it. "That is if you can." He smiled wildly. "But I doubt it. With six of you down here I bet not even one is has enough strength to kill a fly."

At his comments five different faces appeared and loud grumbling made the air vibrate. Agnimon smiled even more. But it was a cruel smile. Kari would never have thought that Takuya´s face could be so scary.  
>He stood up and rammed his foot into the first face. Flames sparking at contact.<p>

"_I know that fire-", _said one face.  
>"<em>You brat-", <em>another. Agnimon proceeded to stamping each face into the ground all while grinning.  
>"<em>You cannot kill us, brat. You cannot take the darkness. We have his soul. He cannot leave. And neither shall your precious boy."<br>_"Like I said; try and stop him." Agnimon sat down next to Koichi. Closing his eyes and –Kari seriously doubted his sanity- he seemed to be dozing off.

"Who was that, Nefertimon?" She inquired of her partner after she snapped back to the present.

She hissed again. "Demon." Kari saw WarGreymon stiffen at the name. It didn´t ring a bell for her.

"One of the seven great demon lords." Kari swallowed. That did ring a bell. Blood drained from her face. That was impossible. How could she still be alive then?  
>"As were the others." Kari tightened her grip on Nefertimon´s fur.<p>

"…Six of the seven Demonlords? But…. Isn´t it dangerous to even be here then?" Even she heard her voice shake.

"No. Like Agnimon demonstrated, they are nothing but powerless shadows." She landed on the ground. "I suspect they were feeding of this boy´s powers."  
>"Anyway, with this we have even more bad news to deliver," Tai pointed out, watching the ground grimly.<p>

"What are we doing now? "He asked Agnimon.

"Nothing. Just wait for them to return." Kari guessed he was talking about Takuya and Koichi, but she had no idea from where Koichi had to return. He was right in front of her.

* * *

><p>It hurt.<br>It was hot. Too hot.  
>And dark.<br>And he couldn´t move.  
>Everyone was disappearing.<p>

A sudden pain made him want to shriek. But he couldn´t move.

* * *

><p>Takuya was hurrying through the darkness. Something was happening in front of him. He heard angry screams and the sound of combat. It was the voices that made him hurry. He knew all of them.<br>Takuya had no idea how far he had run or how much he still had to, but he had to hurry, the others could need him. Even if he could see nothing.  
>The darkness let up, a light made it vanish. For some reason the light made Takuya shiver, though.<br>He came to a slithering stop when he stepped out of the darkness in a space with almost normal lighting conditions.

Fear and fright froze his soul. A rare emotion to him.  
>An angel with 5 angel´s and 5´devils wings light the area up. He had blond hair and a cruel smile. Lucemon.<br>Takuya didn´t stand a chance. Not without Agnimon, not without all the other spirits.  
>But Takuya´s rationality was swallowed by anger. Lucemon threw two shadows through the air. One was a female with blond hair and purple clothes; Zoe. The other had black hair tied to a ponytail and a bandana; Koji.<p>

"Shit!" he cursed as he rose to his feet after brutally crashing into the ground. His twin hurried to his side, supporting him. JP and Tommy did the same with Zoe. Takuya was about to step to his friend sides when he felt something restraining him.  
>The darkness he had just stepped out of had taken some kind of form tying him in place.<p>

"Even without our Spirits and Takuya we have to defeat him!" Koji shook Koichi´s hand of, barely managing to stand on his own. "We have to defeat him!"

"What are you saying? I´m right here!" Takuya yelled, thinking Koji either hadn´t seen him yet or chose to ignore him. The timing wasn´t the best for an argument, but Takuya wouldn´t put it past Koji. He didn´t react, neither did the others. What was going on? He was just nailed in place. Not invisible and mute. Was he? Takuya looked down at himself. No, he definitely wasn´t invisible.

"We know that!" Zoe screamed at the edge of panic. She too stood again. Blood dripping from her hand. "It just isn´t easy!"

Takuya had forgotten about Lucemon for a second, but now he painfully remembered said Fallen Angel. Fear clutched his chest. Not for himself, but for his friends. Anger made his blood boil.  
>Lucemon snickered and stared right at him.<p>

"Enjoy the show." He said amused in the very same voice that Takuya had thought dead for four years. The very same voice that killed Koichi. The very same voice that destroyed the Digiworld. The voice that he would always hate and fear more than anything else.

"Never!" Takuya and Koji cursed in unison. Takuya knew the words were meant for him, but Koji didn´t.  
>Koji hadn´t been this angry since they left the Digiworld. But neither had Takuya... He struggled against the dark chains that held him in place. Hurting his own skin in the processes.<p>

Lucemon had to die.

He mustn´t be allowed to exist.

"Lets go!" koji yelled and the Warriors charged. Takuya watched in horror as his friends attacked Lucemon. Without their Spirits. Not even with a weapon. And were brutally hurt in the one sided massacrer.

* * *

><p>It hurt so much.<br>The pain stopped from time to time only to be replaced by a new wave of pain and unbearable heat.  
>It hurt so much.<br>But he couldn´t move.  
>Tears couldn´t leave his eyes.<br>He couldn´t scream.  
>But it hurt so much.<br>Maybe it was just better if he just faded away. Maybe on the other side it wouldn´t hurt. But he wouldn´t go for now.

* * *

><p>She wouldn´t give up.<br>Never.  
>Not from this pain.<br>It couldn´t defeat her. No matter how much it hurt, she wouldn´t give up.  
>Not here in this darkness, not when she couldn´t move, not when she didn´t know what was going on.<br>But even if she did know, she wouldn´t give up.  
>She was no going to lose this fight.<p>

* * *

><p>Who he was he didn´t know, where he was he didn´t know, what he was he didn´t know, but one thing he knew for sure.<br>Just existing hurt.  
>He wondered if he had ever existed without this pain.<br>Was that even possible? He didn´t know, but he didn´t want to go away yet again.

* * *

><p>"STOP IT!"<p>

"I won´t stop." Lucemon casually took a step towards Takuya. He clenched his fists struggling against the shackles.  
>Lucemon took another step.<br>He felt his senses slip; wrath swallowing his mind. The shackles had already cut in his flesh minutes ago, but Takuya didn´t stop. He didn't need his limps if he couldn´t protect his friends with them.

"Don´t you dare touch them!"

"This is nothing compared to what you put me through." Lucemon came another step forward. Koji gasped for air. His eyes closed in pain and collapsed at Takuya´s feet. Everyone else was in a similar state shattered across the ground. Takuya tasted blood. His nails had long pierced his skin.  
>His friends were dying. And he was just watching. He knew he couldn´t make a difference, but that bastard was hurting his friends. Unforgivable! He would pay for that. Lucemon stood in front of him and Koji now.<br>A sword materialized in Lucemon´s hand.  
>A sword that Takuya recognized as Susanoomon´s.<p>

"Don´t you dare." Takuya whispered. Lucemon could hear him. He knew. Lucemon glanced at him before focusing on Koji to his feet; Lucemon preparing to deliver a strike.

Rage was burning Takuya´s sanity.  
>He doubted it was the finishing one. Lucemon wanted to make them all suffer for killing him.<p>

Blood splattered on Takuya´s shoes.  
>Koji´s blood. The blood of the stupid idiot. The blood of his best friend.<br>Death.  
>Takuya looked at Lucemon. Lucemon grinned at him. Not paying Koji attention any more, just enjoying the pain he had just caused Takuya.<br>Takuya returned to look at Koji. The sword had pierced his stomach. Not enough for immediate death. Lucemon pulled the sword out slowly.  
>Koji grunted; feeling the pain even uncouncious. More blood tainted Takuya red.<br>A puddle of blood colored the dark soil even darker.

"Who shall be next? Take your pick." That did it. He was going to pay!  
>Takuya had lost every sense of self-preservation.<br>The only thing that mattered was that Lucemon was going to die. Takuya doubled his efforts against the shackles, not caring anymore.

"You want to be next?" Lucemon slashed at his chest. Ripping his clothes and flesh apart, but Takuya didn´t care. He didn´t care that once his own sword scratched his bones.  
>He didn´t even feel it.<br>He only cared about Lucemon.  
>So what if his body got damaged?<p>

His own blood mixed with Koji´s on the ground. Doubling the size of the puddle.  
>He didn´t care.<p>

The loss of blood made Takuya feel hot.  
>But it didn´t matter.<p>

Kill!

Swaying he stepped over Koji. Closing the distance between him and Lucemon.  
>Lucemon prepared for the next strike. Amused at Takuya´s efforts. He didn´t care.<br>He stabbed him the same place as Koji. But it didn´t matter. Instead he grabbed the swords blade. Not allowing Lucemon to pull it back and put distance between them again.  
>He made a fist.<br>It couldn´t hurt Lucemon, but that didn´t matter.  
>He´d make him pay.<br>Koichi last time. Koji and everyone else this time.  
>Takuya´s wouldn´t rest before his anger disappeared. And his anger wouldn´t disappear before Lucemon was dead.<br>He rammed his fist in Lucemon´s still smiling face. Lucemon didn´t bother to dodge or block, knowing tht Takuy could do no more damage then an insect.

His fist erupted in flames at impact.

That shouldn´t be possible, but Takuya didn´t care.  
>He took hold of Lucemon´s wrist with his other hand. Stetting him on fire.<br>By now Lucemon didn´t smile anymore. His faces showed pain, hatred and surprise, but it didn´t matter.  
>Takuya just enjoyed watching Lucemon burn to a crisp by his flames.<br>Delivering the long deserved justice.

When Takuya stared down at the pile of ashes that had once been one of the most powerful Digimon his rationality slowly returned.

He stared at the ashes.

That shouldn´t have been possible.

Without Agnimon or Vitramon he had no control about fire or to mention that his little firework shouldn´t have been able to put as much as a scratch on Lucemon.

* * *

><p>Agnimon smiled.<p>

"And here I thought you geezers knew my fire´s characteristics." Tai, WarGreymon, Nefertimon and Kari shot him a questioning glare. Agnimon still had his eyes closed.

"Or maybe you have just gone senile and this was the best you could come up with." Agnimon still sat beside Koichi on the ground. "Otherwise what made you think you should fuel him with emotions.  
>What did Takuya call this? Adding oil to the fire?"<p>

Kari had no idea what he was talking about, but she assumed it was nothing bad.  
>Agnimon smiled after all.<p>

* * *

><p>This situation was just odd. No, odd just didn´t cut it. It was down right wrong. Impossible. Sure, Takuya didn´t mind making the impossible possible, but something told him that wasn´t it. Lucemon died way to easily. Like he died ´cause Takuya wanted him to.<p>

Something clicked.

Takuya looked around at his fallen comrades. They shouldn´t have been here. No… they weren´t here. He closed his eyes. He was alone here. He was alone here. Takuya recited until he believed it.  
>He opened his eyes and smiled.<p>

Well, duh… he knew he was not all that smart, but this had been just stupid.

First of all he was supposed to be inside a huge whirlpool looking for Koichi and Koichi alone. There was no way Koji would have ended up in that evil hole in the first place, not to mention the others who had no connection to darkness.  
>Secondly he still vividly remembered how he had scanned Lucemon´s data.<br>And at least but not last there was no way he should be able to control fire without his Spirits. And yet he did.

Takuya still didn´t know where he was, but he guessed this place was influenced by his thoughts and emotions. As prove his friends had all but disappeared. They had never been here; it was only made up by his imagination. Takuya looked down at his supposed-to-be–wounds and was not surprised to see nothing. He was completely fine.

Well then…. If this place reacted to his thoughts then he should be able to find Koichi, right?  
>Takuya closed his eyes again. Koichi, Koichi…no wait…. Real Koichi, real Koichi, real Koichi….. he repeated this time and thought about his friend. His character, his appearance, his presence…..<br>Takuya felt a sudden drop in temperature. He opened his eyes again. Now he could see, because he didn´t believe that it was dark around him. He looked where he had landed and couldn´t help but sigh.

Gezz, this was just typical.  
>Not fair, but typical. Koichi was darkness after all. But seriously, couldn´t darkness get a hold of itself?<p>

* * *

><p>Well here you got a glimpse of Agnimons personality. In the anime we didn´t get to know him like that, after all. At first I thought about making him similar to Takuya, but he kind of ended up this way and I think that he has much more possibilities now.<p>

Please comment.

And thanks again for the reviews.:)


	8. Meeting up

Neamon=Neemon

XV-mon=ExVeemon

MetallFantomon=Metallphantomon

* * *

><p>Scary. So scary. Where was the light?<br>He was going to crumble.  
>He was so afraid. The presences were so strong now. He didn´t even dare to breath. He hugged his legs closer and tried to stop his hands from shaking.<p>

Scary.

A tear ran down his face. He hoped it wouldn´t make any noise. What if they noticed him? He just wanted to be away from this place. Far away. And forget all about it. He suppressed a sob.  
>He was sure death was better than this. But he couldn´t die yet. Why he didn´t know. He just thought that if he´d die something precious would slip from his hands completely. He didn´t know how precious it was, or if it was worth it but maybe it was. And if it was then he wouldn´t want to lose it. But he was still so afraid. Everything was so scary.<p>

* * *

><p>Koichi sat in front of him. Hugging his knees and shaking all over. He even saw a tear drop down. In some place of his mind Takuya thanked whoever responsible that Koji was not with him. He´d rip the place apart to look for the one that sent Koichi into this state.<p>

Another piece wanted to rip the place down with his own hands. Koichi had already so many bad experiences with darkness that this most certainly was overkill.

And then there was the side that really wanted Koji to be here. Who could possibly be better for this job then the light twin?  
>Because Takuya really had no idea what to do now. What was he supposed to do when Koichi was hugging his knees, deadly afraid and producing some kind of black smoke? Sure the smoke dissolved as it rose to the not-there ceiling, but the fact that Koichi produced smoke did not change. Had the situation be any different and with somebody to listen Takuya would surely have cracked a joke about Koichi thinking too much. However the situation was not that carefree. Sadly.<p>

Well….What should he do now?...actually there wasn´t much of a choice now, was there?

"You know, Koichi, if you don´t start breathing I´m gonna tell Koji you attempted suicide."

* * *

><p>Close. Too close. So scary.<br>Couldn´t the presences just disappear? Couldn´t they just leave him alone?He suppressed a shudder. They mustn't know he was here. He didn´t breath. His lungs hurt, but he couldn´t breathe; he´d be found.

"You know, Koichi, if you don´t start breathing I´m gonna tell Koji you attempted suicide."

He would have jumped had he not been so afraid.

He still didn´t breathe.  
>Maybe that wasn´t directed at him. He didn´t know who Koichi and Koji were, after all.<p>

"He´s never going to let you hear the end of it." He didn´t know why, but he thought the voice sounded amused. A face popped up in his mind. A wide grin with brown hair. But he didn´t know that person. Or did he?

No he did. What was the name? He took a deep breath. He did know that presence in front of him.

"Not that I know where Koji is at the moment, but when I tell him later I can already see him put a tracker on you." The voice snorted.

His curiosity won. And now that he took a second look at presence it wasn´t scary at all.  
>Koichi glanced up only to be greeted by the shameless grin of his brother´s best friend.<p>

* * *

><p>"Don´t you dare tell him about this." Koichi glared at him. Something very uncharacteristic for him. Takuya was going to get a cramp in his cheeks at this rate.<br>Oh, how he enjoyed teasing the twins about their respective complexes.

"Like I said, I don´t know where he is, so I can hardly tell him about this." Koichi took his outstretched hand and got to his feet. "Yet." He received another uncharacteristic glare.

"If you tell him about this I´ll tell Zoe that you hid her purse so that she couldn´t drag you shopping."

Takuya swallowed. In some way that was even more scary then the Lucemon illusion.  
>Right… he knew there was a down side to teasing the elder. He felt sweat run down his forehead. Indeed, very scary.<p>

"Why don´t we forget about that. And focus on getting out of here." Takuya wanted to turn to where he came from but remembered that he kind of teleported himself here. "Wherever here is."

"Yeah, I meant to ask that. Where are we?" Koichi looked around and Takuya saw numerous questions flash across his face. No way….. he did not have to explain everything…..right?... he´d be mute by the time he finished…..yeah, let´s just skip the first two weeks.

"Actually, I have no idea. You see, there was this huge whirlpool-"

* * *

><p>She wouldn´t disappear.<br>If she did all that fighting till now would lose its meaning. And more importantly she would lose. To what, she did not know. All that mattered was that she was not going to lose. Nothing could make her surrender. Not this pain. Not anything else.  
>But she still kept on fading. But she would not lose. Even if she was fading away.<p>

* * *

><p>He was still enduring. He was still here.<p>

But it hurt. So much. Everyone else around him had almost disappeared. But –

A new hot wave of pain stopped his thoughts.

* * *

><p>He didn´t know if there was a reason. So why was he still here?<br>It was so much pain. Did it even matter?  
>It was hot and cold. Burning and freezing at the same time. Maybe fading wasn´t so bad…<p>

There wasn´t a reason to be here and endure.  
>Or was there?<p>

* * *

><p>"-and then I found you here." Takuya finished his retelling. "So got any ideas on how to get out of here?" Not that Takuya hadn´t thought of some himself, he just thought it might be better to leave the head-using part to somebody smart.<br>Hence he just stood around, hands behind his head watching Koichi as he was thinking. If he wasn´t good at it, why bother in the first place?

"Say, how about we just imagine us out of here?" Takuya asked after he was fed up with waiting. But Koichi shook his head.

"How do you define 'here' in that question? We might end up a few feet left or right from here. We´d need to find out where we are first."

"And how do we do that?" Takuya looked around. "I think I could even make this into my room if I wanted." To prove his point a bed, walls with various posters, a closet and a desk just popped out of the ground. "See, what I mean? We can kind of be everywhere." Hey, that wasn´t too bad. Maybe he could watch a soccer game he missed during his two week absence. Takuya imagined the stadium and the two teams. Both popped out, but they didn´t play.

"….Takuya , you're a genius!" Koichi suddenly exclaimed. Looking around and altering Takuya´s stadium to his room.

"Yeah, I knew that." …..Seriously? Was he kidding?  
>No, he wasn´t. That enlightened expression was not kidding.<p>

"Mind explaining what makes me so brilliant?"

"Well, as you have demonstrated we can make everything appear, but what appears is not the real thing.  
>You just said that you meet with Lucemon. That alone is possible, though. But, you said it even had the same voice, right? That is impossible. Lucemon is dead. We saw Lucemon´s birth and you guys his death.<p>

So how could the very same Lucemon appear here in a different dimension if he is dead?  
>It only could have been a replica from your memories. Meaning everything we see or let appear is made from our thoughts. Your try with the stadium just proved that you can´t let things appear you don´t know about."<p>

"And?" Takuya did not understand what Koichi wanted to say. No surprise there, though.

Koichi rolled his eyes. For a second Takuya could have sworn it was Koji standing in front of him.

"Meaning, we are in a place that reproduces our thoughts to reality. What we want to happen will happen."

"And?" What had that to do with them getting out of here? Maybe if he´d let a door pop out of the ground?

"I´m saying this place is like a dream. No…it is a dream.  
>You said Agnimon and Vitramon had been with you, right? As well as those others. But suddenly you were all alone in this darkness, right?<br>My guess is that you fell asleep or something- don´t look like that; you know it´s possible- and then ended up in this dream. You also said the whirlpool was full of evil energy. It wouldn´t be far fetched to think that we´d both get trapped in our dreams then."

"Then how come you are in my dream?"

"Don´t know. Maybe it´s a Warrior thing or our Spirits had a hand in this or you are not really here and just a product of my imagination." Yeah, as if.

"I feel perfectly real." Takuya countered.

"So do I." Koichi smiled. "But that doesn´t matter, if this really is a dream we just have to wake up and then we will see who is real."

"How do we do that?"

"Don´t know. Maybe if you really believe this is a dream and then remember your alarm or something…

I think this is at least worth a try. If it doesn´t work we, you or I, whoever is real can think of something else." He had a point there. A much better one than Takuya´s ridiculous ideas. Hopefully he wouldn´t need to voice them.

* * *

><p>"<em>Welcome back." "Took ya long enough." "Missed me?"<em>

Takuya opened his eyes, not sure what to expect. Agnimon had taken over during his absence and Takuya was sure he hadn´t stayed in place. It was kind of impossible considering Takuya took a free fall of WarGreymon´s shouldes into a dark abyss the last time he checked.

What Takuya saw was a rather normal situation; the Yagami siblings happily –on second thought not happily- chatting away, their Digimon adding a comment once in a while.  
>If Takuya could just forget the little fact that they were in a huge whirlpool accompanied by –Agnimon said so- several Demon Lords he´d think they were having a picnic.<br>Something moved next to him. He grinned.

"Looks like both of us were real." The other four jumped at his voice, but Koichi just held his head a painful expression on his face. He managed to smile, though.

"Looks like it." His eyes emptied for a second before he added,"But my thesis was pretty far off."

"You got the dream part right, and that is what counts." Takuya replied after Agnimon had filled him in on the situation as well.  
>"Sorry, by the way if Agnimon was rude or something. It´s nothing personal." He added towards 8 starring eyes. Okay, maybe it was a bit personal, but really not much….<p>

"Takuya?" Kari asked finally. Only after her eyes got tired of staring, though.

"The one and only. This is Koichi, by the way. "He gestured towards said twin, and Koichi politely nodded in reply. Takuya was about to continue the introductions when he was interrupted by an angry snarl.

Nefertimon had retreated a few steps and took an aggressive position. Her gaze directed at Koichi.  
>Takuya didn´t quite get what her problem was and neither did Tai and WarGreymon; they exchanged confused looks. Koichi alone seemed to understand. He focused at his shoes, sadness in his eyes. He still hadn´t told Koichi about the whole target fiasco, so why...? He looked at the pissed monster cat. Takuya noticed that Kari´s face was pale, drained from ... fear?<p>

"What is that boy?"Nefertimon hissed. "He is overflowing with Darkness." Oh….that was her problem. Takuya took the liberty to answer to her accusations. Koichi didn´t seem to be able yet anyway.

"There is nothing with him." Light types could be such a pain. So full of prejudice. Seeing the world only in good and evil. Koji was such a pleasant exception from that. Not that he´d ever tell him that, though. "He is just darkness. I thought I told you that already. It would be much more worrying if he didn´t have this aura about him.  
>And it´s not as if he´s evil." Takuya pointed out.<p>

"Sorry to interrupt your little argument, but WarGreymon and I can´t follow your conversation." Tai glanced confused from Kari and Nefertimon to him and finally to Koichi.

"It´s nothing. The –two? - of them are just a little afraid of Koichi." Takuya explained quickly. He was not surprised at Tai´s ignorance to the subject. Only Light could feel Koichi´s Darkness. Takuya just knew about it from the beginning, he didn´t see it. And it didn´t bother him. In the worst case he could have Duskmon flashbacks.

Nefertimon hissed again. "You can´t be telling me that I have to protect that brat. I ought to destroy him and that accursed power."

"I am not telling you that, but –" Koichi stopped him by putting a hand on Takuya´s shoulder and shaking his head. He then faced Nefertimon and Kari; his eyes still sad, but Takuya spotted something like resolution in them as well.  
>"It´s not that I don´t understand your concern, but you seem to misunderstand. Darkness is not evil. It is –"A loud beep from both Kari´s and Tai´s D-terminals cut him off.<p>

"You will have to put your differences aside for now-"  
>"-it`s not just differences!"Nefertimon protested, but Tai ignored her.<br>"-The others apparently have been under attack for quite some time already. WarGreymon, we will take Koichi with us and Nefertimon will take Takuya. You shouldn´t have a problem with that." Tai ordered in a voice that didn´t allow objections.  
>"I´m Tai, by the way." He added directed at Koichi.<p>

* * *

><p>-While WarGreymon and Nefertimon decedent into the whirlpool-<p>

"Do you think they are going to be all right?"

"Sure they will, Ken. WarGreymon and Nefertimon are with them."

Eyes closed Ken shook his head. "Down there it doesn´t matter how strong a Digimon is. The Darkness completely swallows whoever gets too close."

"Who cares? They´ll be ok." Davis sat on XV-mon´s shoulder and watched as two figures were swallowed by the shadows. "And Kari is with them, too."  
>His heart beating a bit stronger as he remembered the brunette wave goodbye to him.<p>

"Let´s hope you are right…."Ken didn´t sound convinced while he, too, stared down.

"Really, don´t worry about it. Let´s think more about what to do while they are down there.

When do you think we can go back to school?" Pale violet eyes blinked at him in utter disbelieve. Xv-mon lost a few feet of altitude.

"Did you just ask me when we will have to go sit in 'boring-good-for-nothing' lessons again?" Except the wind´s cries everything was silent.

"Davis, are you feeling all right? The black hole didn´t do anything strange to you, did it?" EV-mon asked unsure.

"Do you want me to check your blood pressure? " Joe offered from MetalGarurumon´s back. Davis felt his head turning red.

"What´s wrong with you guys? Can´t I ask a simple question?" His face must have reached a tomato´s color by now. Really, was it such a funny thing for him to ask? He crossed his arms and wanted to turn his back to them. It was just kind of impossible seeing how he was surrounded by the others from all sides.  
>"It is not…..We were just …..Surprised…."Ken started and was quickly joined by other reassurances. Davis didn´t believe them one word.<p>

"Just for your information, I just wanted to know how much soccer training I´ll have missed!" He finally said after he had grown tired of all the excuses. "Just so that you know, I do have-"

* * *

><p>Matt didn´t pay much attention to Davis sulking. He was busy thinking about their current situation and future dilemmas. So far they had found one and possibly a second in two weeks.<br>Matt reserved judgment on the thought of a Darkness child. The image of the Digimon Kaiser did cross his mind, though.  
>All in all the chances of finding a third one was close to zero, Matt concluded. And that did not sit well with him.<br>He guessed the other children were either dead or captured. Matt didn´t like to think along these lines, but he partly thought it was better if the first was the case. Dead they couldn´t be captured and used after all. Then again he had no confirmation that these Spirits died along with their 'host'. Wait...If he remembered correctly 4 didn´t have a partner in the first place. So they wouldn´t die. He sighed.  
>Matt hated not being able to do anything and yet he found himself only hoping that the other children were alive and free.<p>

Matt eyes drifted down towards the beneath them not existing water surface. Beneath them was a huge black hole, but even if had hole had not been there, it was a few hundred feet down. He gazed over the blue water surface. It was deep blue and Matt saw few shadows darken the color at times. Digimon, he guessed. They sure had it easy, just letting Digidestined to take care of their problems. Not that he complained, though. He wouldn´t be half the person he was today had it not been for being Digidestind. But that didn´t stop him from wondering how even gigantic Digimon like that could just ignore or at least pay not much mind to the current crisis.  
>Gigantic Digimon? Matt had never seen a Digimon as huge as the shadow that was appearing beneath the surface….<p>

Damm! "Guys! We have got company!" Instantly the tension rose and the air electrified. How could he not have noticed? No Digimon right in its mind would swim anywhere near the whirlpool.  
>As a huge black hourglass and hundreds of other Digimon broke through the surface Matt heard several Digimon behind him evolve.<p>

"Matt, Joe go over to Imerialdramon, that way I can fight better." MetalGarurumon had flown close to the much bigger Mega, who had already Ken and Davis on its back.

"Yeah, be careful MatalGarurumon."

"I will." Matt watched worried as he charged towards the more and more approaching army.

"Has somebody sent a mail to Izzy and Tai?" He asked when Imperialdramon had finally collected all Digidestied. He was holding on tight as he preformed a sudden stop. Imperialdramon might be carrying all of them, but that didn´t mean he wouldn´t participate in battle. It would have been a waste.

"I did just now." Cody answered. "But it´s strange. I can´t reach Tai." Cody was typing the mail once again.

"Keep trying! We have to get out of here." He bit his lip. They might be able to hold out for some time, but defeat was eventually only a matter of time when faced with an uncountable number of Digimon. Add to that that the enemy did no longer include only dark and evil Digimon. Matt spotted several Kuwagamon, Cyberdramon and even Pidmon. Damm… that meant no less than two of the children - Wind and Light- had fallen to the enemy.

"Imperialdramon!" Davis screamed as Imperialdramon took a heavy hit by a Cyberdramon.

"I… I …" Imerialdramon´s voice made the ground –namely Imperialdramon´s back- vibrate. "I can´t….move…well."

"What do you mean you can´t move well?" Davis shouted, not because he was angry, but because his voice wouldn´t reach otherwise. "Do your best! We have to hold out until Tai and Kari return!"

"It´s no use, Davis." Matt heard Ken´s admit. "They are interfering with his movements. We have no choice but to-"

"Lilimon!" Mimi stood at the edge of Imperialdramon´s back. Swallowing Matt followed her line of sight. Lilimon was dropping. Smoke rising from her wings. She barely managed to stop her fall before she hit the water.  
>Now Matt wasn´t watching her anymore. He was focused on MetalGarurumon. He was partly a light type. And indeed his movements were slower than they were supposed to be. Matt gasped as a Devimon landed a hit.<p>

"We have to retreat." Ken finished his sentence.

"We can´t. Or are you saying we should abandon Tai?" Matt didn´t hear Davis protest against Ken´s suggestion. He watched with growing fear how MetalGarurumon tried to fend off several Devimon, Megadramon and a MetallFantomon.

"Matt!" He didn´t turn around. He didn´t dare to take his eyes off MetalGarurumon.

"You are glowing!" He finally turned around; MetalGarurumon was doing better. All eyes were directed at him, but he didn´t get as far as too take a look at himself.

"Davis!"  
>Said junior was shining in sparkling orange and blue. "Huh?" Dumbstruck Davis followed now everyone's eyes. "I´m glowing! Check this out! This is so cool!" By now Matt had time to notice that he was radiating the same blue as Davis. He pulled out his crest. Matt didn´t need to be a genius to figure that it was the source.<p>

"Mimi! You too!"Sora exclaimed and this time everyone stared at Mimi. She was green.

"And TK, too." TK was yellow. "Joe, is grey." TK continued. "And Ken violet." At the same time Impreialdramonn suddenly increased his speed. "I can move again." He reported.

"Maybe…"Sora mused"…the crests are protecting us from the elemental influence? That would explain why only Yolei´s and my crest isn´t glowing. Garudamon and Aquilamon are fire types."

Matt returned to watch the battlefield; it immediately proved Sora right. The battle was still far from in their favor, but at least their Digimon weren´t getting beaten by far weaker Digimon anymore.

"I just got through to Tai." Cody announced after a while. "He says they have completed the mission and are returning now."

"Good." Matt replied and faced the others. "Cody, forward Tai´s message to Izzy. He´ll prepare a gate for us."

"Yeah! We have hold out a little longer. Don´t let them get us now!" Davis added and everyone road in agreement.  
>Matt smiled and loked onto MetallGarurumon.<p>

He had just dodged a Grave Scream from MetallFantomon and launched himself at his opponent, sinking his teeth into MetalFantomon´s bones. MetalGarurumon retreated as an Icedevimon shot an attack at his rear. He couldn´t go all out. Not as long he didn´t know who sided with them voluntary and who not. Matt bit his lip and clenched his hands to fists. It was frustrating.

Matt lost sight of MetallGarurumon when Imperialdramon evaded an attack with a barrel roll and shot his own in counter. He only scratched the enemies, though.

The battle continued like that for some time. Not killing the enemy and trying not to get killed in the process. While all Digimon were still in battle they had tiered a good deal and lost a huge amount of ground. The Digidestined had been pushed back from above the whirlpool to the water surface. The current combat zone was at the whirlpools edge. Zudomon had been fighting there the whole time, keeping their escape route free. Now he retreated even further; no longer able to fight the water current and an opponent at the same time.

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE, YOU BASTARDS?" The angry yell drew Matt´s –and most likely many enemy´s- attention towards the whirlpool. WarGreymon and Nefertimon had exited it and were attempting to leave the battle field. Matt recognized the voice as Takuya´s. He saw him sitting on Nefertimon´s back and struggle against Kari who seemed to hold him in place. Matt didn´t know what had agitated him that much and even less what Takuya planned on doing if he got free of Kari´s hold; there was only water below them. But Matt saw even from distance that he was furious. Takuya wasn´t on fire like he was before, however his body language told as much as an angry fire would.

Matt looked over to Tai only to see him restrain a boy with black hair. He couldn´t see much more from distance, he felt the Darkness radiating from him, though.

* * *

><p>In case you didn´t notice, I have no idea if digimon really do have elements (besides the obvious ones) and if there is a side listing them. If there is either of the two please let me know. Otherwise i´m just going to make the attributes up. xd<p>

Please review again.:)


	9. Course of meeting

Tai had explained the situation is as much detail as he could while Takuya, Kari, Tai and Koichi were carried out of the whirlpool by Nefertimon and WarGreymon.  
>Takuya saw, that as soon as they exited the dark fog Tai´s crest stopped glowing. But Kari´s didn´t. Takuya guessed it was because Koichi was nearby. Light and Darkness preferred to be hostile in most of the cases after all. Though, that was based on Light´s narrow minded attitude and the little fact that Darkness was evil most of the time. It was moments like this that Takuya considered himself pretty lucky to be fire. To him it would be way to much of a hassle to check if someone was Light or Darkness first before befriending them. But, well, it wasn´t Takuya´s place to change or even pint that out. He as fire had pretty much nothing to do with the relationship between both.<p>

Takuya saw the explosions and flashes of battle from far inside the huge vertical hourglass was kind of hard to miss, but what he didn´t 'see' until they left the whirlpool was the Hourglasses' aura and presence. He was little grateful that he didn´t 'see' it earlier. That he didn´t 'see' gave him few more moments piece of mind, though. But if he had had a chance to choose he would have never chosen ignorance. And be it only for a few moments. It was concerning his friends after all. Then again maybe it was good that he got this few second, because it was kind of obvious that he wouldn´t rest anymore after he got out of his shock.

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE DONE, YOU BASTARDS?" It didn´t matter that there was only water below, he would swim his way to the hourglass if he had to, but Kari had instantly graped him and she was not letting go.

The black fortress was only black. That was if one only looked with his eyes.  
>But Takuya and Koichi too, had learned not to rely on eyes only. But in this case that wasn´t even needed. He felt Agnimon and Vitramon inside him resonate with the fortress or rather with the other 8 Spirits inside it. And he saw the fortress no longer in black. It was emitting all colors of the rainbow except black and red.<br>His blood rushed to his head and anger clouded his judgment once again and yet, at the same time he was thinking clearer then ever:  
>Nothing and no one, but Susanoomon should shine in all colors.<p>

"Please let go of me!" Koichi demanded, his voice shaking. Had he not been this angry Takuya would be the same. Instead of anger worry was eating away at Koichi. Takuya, too was worried, he was just too enraged to pay it any mind.

No one and nothing should shine like Susanoomon.  
>Susanoomon was a living being. A fusion of all Spirits. And yet that fortress shone in the same manner. Takuya didn´t dare to think why yet did so. Despair was mixing with his anger.<br>If they had infused the fortress with the Spirits then what has happened to his friends? Were they alive?

Damm it!

Takuya ceased trying to make Kari let go of him. Like this he could do nothing. Hence he had no choice but to think. What could he do...? He had to get to that fortress. Maybe if he was closer he could find out something more. Other then the knowledge that the Spirits were inside.

"Can you get me closer to it?" Takuya asked Kari and Nefertimon. He earned himself disbelieving looks.

"No way! We are getting you and that Darkness brat out of here!" Nefertimon answered all to clearly and not too kindly.

"But I have to get to it!"

"I´m sorry, but we aren´t strong enough to get closer." Kari shot him an apologetic look of the shoulder. "And as Nefertimon said, we have to get you to safety first."

"That´s not-"Covered by several Digimon Nefertimon and WarGreymon had closed in on a pretty huge black and white dragon type Digimon. Koichi had already mounted it´s back against his will, Takuya guessed. It were _his_ brother´s Spirits on the other side of the battlefield. And maybe Koji himself was there, too.

"GaiaForce!" Wargreymon shot a red burning ball towards the enemy Digimon.

…

That´s it! That was his way.

"WarGreymon!" He addressed said Digimon quickly. WarGreymon floated beneath Nefertimon right now. Perfect! "Shoot another GaiaForce at the fortress!" Ok, normally one should add a 'please', but Takuya hardly had the patience to waste time with it.  
>After a confirmative nod from Tai WarGreymon accumulated atmosphere between his claws to shoot another ball of burning energy. Takuya clenched his jaw. He had only one chance. Adrenalin rushed his blood; made his heart beat even faster. This had to be the most reckless thing he had done in four years, even counting the clown. And he most certainly was glad once again that Koji was not there to see it.<p>

"Gaia-"

He slipped his wrist out of Kari´s hand and jumped.

"-Force"

Takuya hoped the burning atmosphere was dense enough to not let him fall till the attack connected with the black wall of the fortress.

The rustling of the flames around him blocked out every other noise; but it wasn´t hot. A grim smile lifted his lips. Being fire was definitely useful. Way better than the always-fighting Light and Darkness. Though, when asked Koji and Koichi would likely say the same.  
>To Takuya´s relief the attack was dense enough to not let him drop. Thanks to that, however he couldn´t see anything but the red flames dancing round him. Hence Takuya didn´t know when he was going to hit the fortress, which was a bit troublesome considering that a careless collision might as well break a few of his bones.<p>

But that couldn´t be helped now.

* * *

><p>WarGreymon approached Imperialdramon, dodging few stray attacks that passed by the other Digimon. But Matt´s eyes were glued to the boy that had a remarkable similarity with Ken. And he couldn´t help but think of this as irony. That boy was Darkness, after all. That said Matt saw the Darkness lurking from within him if he looked closely.<br>It was a Darkness stronger and different from anything that Matt had encountered so far. He glanced over to TK and saw rare emotions of hate and disgust breaking his usually gentle face.  
>Not that Matt didn´t understand, but he thought of himself and TK as rational enough to save concerns for later. He wasn´t that sure about few other on Imperialdramon´s back, though. His eye´s drifted to Cody and Ken, but to his surprise neither showed emotions like TK on their faces.<p>

"Guys, this Koichi Kimura." Tai introduced to the DigiDestined. Tai´s eyes quickly locked with his and then TK´s; a silent warning in his look. Matt had no problem with that, but he wasn´t sure about TK. He walked few steps over to him attempting to be some kind of moral support. He knew he wasn´t good with that, though.  
>The Koichi boy quickly bowed before turning around and directing his sight towards the fortress. Had Matt known him better he should have been able to read the boy´s emotions which were pretty obvious on his face, but he didn´t and Matt wasn´t that much of a peapol´s person in the first place. Hence he could not interpret the face lines of the boy. But he guessed it was worry, anyway. Matt also noticed that his eyes often flashed over to Takuya who was discussing something with Kari. However the battlefield was too loud for him to understand what they were talking about.<p>

"WarGreymon!"That Matt heard. And something struck him as odd in Takuya´s voice. He couldn´t pinpoint it, though. "Shoot another GaiaForce at the fortress!"

….there was definitely something odd with the way Takuya spoke….

He saw Tai give an approving nod.

That was when it clicked. Matt felt nostalgic listening to Takuya. And that was not good. Especially when it was Tai he was reminded of. "Don´t-"

"Gaia-"Too late. Only he noticed that something was off. The others were focused on either Koichi or the battles of their partners.

He saw Takuya jump.

"-Force"

Takuya was hit dead on with the attack.

"TAKUYA!" He heard Kari´s panicked scream. Finally the others attention to their partners battle broke and Confusion filled Imperialdramon´s back. Even the Digimon were momentarily distracted from defending Imperialdramon and Nefertimon.  
>Somebody snickered. Matt looked around and found Koichi at the source. He instantly scratched all reservation he thought to be best. He griped the boy at his collar and nailed his dark blue eyes with his own.<p>

"Do you think this is funny?" He hissed. Part of him thought he made a mistake when Koichi´s eyes turned from amused to sad, but Matt knew he had done nothing wrong.  
>Koichi shook his head, eyes averted.<p>

"It´s just that it is impossible for Takuya to do nothing. " A slight hint of amusement returned to the boys features; but it was overshadowed by sadness.

Matt ignored it. "You knew he would pull a stunt like that? Why didn´t you say something? You watched him jump to his death." Matt was furious like he hadn´t been for a long time.

Again the boy just shook his head. "No.

Fire can´t kill him." Right...Matt saw first hand how Takuya tended to set himself on fire. Why hadn´t he thought of this before?

He looked up and searched for MetalGarurumon on the battlefield, but he didn´t release Koichi.

"MetalGarurumon-""WarGreymon-"

"-after him!" Tai and Matt shouted in unison. Both of them had already taken off, though. Tai put a hand on Matt´s hand and gestured him to let go of Koichi.  
>And Matt did;ashamed. He had been caught up in his emotions and prejudice, thinking that Darkness couldn´t care less about lives and had forgotten that Koichi too, was just a human worrying about a friend that had recklessly taken of towards enemy´s headquarters. He must be worried. If he wasn´t Matt would scratch him from the list of humans.<p>

"Even so, why didn´t you say something? What if he gets captured?" Looks like Matt didn´t need to do so. Sadness, worry and depression darkened the boys eyes to almost black.

Koichi turned away and followed the red ball with his eyes. "Because it was a necessity. For both him and me." That was the last he would say for now. Matt heard it in his voice. And seriously there were more important things to do than to figure out the morals of the darkness boy on a battlefield.

"Davis, Ken have Imperialdramon follow after WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon. The other Digimon have to devolve and come here to us. We are going to rely on Imerialdramon´s speed to get us there. And after we have collected Takuya and our partners we are going to escape at top speed." Tai ordered unusually calm. Matt could guess why, though. And he smiled.

* * *

><p>An attack cut the air and left a vacuum before other air could fill the hole. WarGreymon adapted his curse to avoid being caught off guard by the unpredictable air currents that would follow.<br>Together with MetalGarurumon he pressed forward into the countless numbers of hostile Digimon dodging most attacks, disabling few lower Digimon in chase of Tai No.2. '  
>WarGreymon regretted leaving his partner behind, but he also knew it couldn´t be helped and that Tai was more or less save with Impeerialdramon. He knew Tai No.2 needed to be protected. He understood that and didn´t specifically mind it. He liked the fire boy –Taku.. something-, not only because he was like Tai to an extent, but also because he had a peasant air around him. WarGreymon wondered if it was because the boy was fire. He definitely saw fire burning inside him. Back then on the plain, down in the whirlpool and even when he jumped into his attack.<br>A fire that was different from the Digimon inside him. A fire like Tai´s and yet nothing like it.  
>The boy and his partner certainly had caught his interest. The first thing he´d do when this was over was to remember his name. And maybe talk to his partner. But for now he had to focus on getting catching up to him.<p>

Wargreymon rammed his knee into an attacking Icedevimon´s stomach, but paid it no further mind. He had to get to his own GaiaForce before the enemy Digimon, who were more and more blocking his and MetalGarurumon´s path. The majority however chased after GaiaForce as well. The Digimon were intelligent enough to not block it´s path. They´d be burned to a crisp, WarGreymon thought not without a little bit of pride.

Blocking Mega Digimon on the ground with a hostage was one thing. A completely different one was to block them when they were only passing through. Moreover, both, MetalGarurumon and WarGreymon were experienced, strong and had good teamwork. Though, that they progressed this far into the enemy lines was not only thanks to skill, but also because of luck and the fact that GaiaForce had somewhat cut the enemy lines. The cut was getting filled fast though, but not fast enough to make the distance between said attack and pursuers greater than it was thanks to the attack´s head start. But they weren´t catching up either. And that was not good. The fire boy could not only get hurt when GaiaForce connected with the fortress, but also it would provide about 5 second for an enemy Digimon to catch him. More than enough.

WarGreymon hit another Digimon with his claws and threw it out of the way. In only a few more seconds GaiaForce would make contact. No enough time. And enemy Digimon already crowded around the point of impact. 3…2…1…

Usually GaiaForce didn't explode, instead the attack burned its way through whatever it was aimed at until it came out on the other end. More often than not deleting a Digimon in the process. But now it didn´t. GaiaForce hit the black wall and just melted down at it; revealing the fire boy desperately trying to hold on to the steep wall. With little success. He fell down and WarGreymon hurried to catch up.  
>A Dinobeemon caught him in one of his claws, leaving the boy even if he would have been struggling little chance for escape. But he didn´t, WarGreymon noted; in fact the boy showed no reaction at all. And that could not be good. Wargreymon did not know much about humans and their behavior, but he had noticed that they rarely sat still. Let alone not a second later the boy did move again. And he didn´t just try to free himself, he did it.<p>

How, WarGreymon didn´t know, but the boy fell again.  
>He and MetalGarurumon changed curse. The short time of capture had them allowed to close the distance to a mere two seconds of full speed travel. And with no other Mega insight, no one could reach him before them. That was good.<p>

Wargreymon caught him with his claws and was immediately met with an apologetic but also triumphant look. No sign of regret.  
>He and MetalGarurumon turned around with a loop and made all efforts to get out of the enemy's layer. But that of course was not easy. Now pretty much the entire army was focusing on not letting them escape.<p>

He didn´t plan on getting stopped by that, though. And neither was MetalGarurumon.

"Cocytus Breath!" He aimed the attack directly at many Digimon in front of them; now that there was no longer the danger of hitting fire boy MetalGarurumon could use his attacks. He was hoping they would dodge and give them space to flee, though, so that as few Digimon as possible died.

Both WarGreymon and Metalgarurumon stopped shocked in their tracks when the icy dust cleared and all Digimon were revealed not only in place, but also completely unfrozen. Even if they hadn´t dodged it, they should all be frozen. WarGreymon blinked. What just happened was-.

Had it not been for the wind taking a quick change, MetalGarurumon would not have noticed. But it did change.

Wargreymon didn´t notice. He didn´t notice until MetalGarurumon made a sudden jump at him. Pressing him out of the way of a sharp trident. WarGreymon had been to surprised to react.  
>He saw blood drip down into the ocean below. Luckily it was only a scratch. Wargreymon could see that, but that didn´t change the fact that it was blood. He strengthened his grip on the boy in his hand with emotions changing faster then he could name them. He almost forgot that the boy he was holding was human. But the fire boy did not complain, maybe he too, was to enchanted by a friends blood dripping.<p>

To Wargreymon it seemed as if time was frozen.

A second drip fell town to the wide ocean. A friends blood. The blood of MetalGarurumon. The blood-

A thick white beam shot past them deleting countless Digimon in its range. Not even a second later Imperiladramon had appeared before them. Tai and Matt standing at his back´s edge. Screaming and gesturing them to devolve and broad Imperialdramon as well.

* * *

><p>Sadly my releases are going to slow down a bit more. I need more time to come up with a plot. :( That is also why this chapter is shorter than the others, by the way.<p>

I´ll try one every three days.

Anyway, please review.  
>And as usually thanks for the reviews from the last chapter.<p> 


	10. Planning and the beginning

Ranamon=Lanamon

KaiserLeomon=JaegerLowemon

Wolfmon=Lobomon

* * *

><p>Fire.<br>Bright, burning, passionate and from time to time annoying fire.  
>She knew that fire. It wouldn´t hurt her. How she knew she didn´t know, but in her existence of not knowing she found something worth fighting for. Something she knew.<p>

* * *

><p>Hot. So hot.<br>But not painfully hot?  
>Heat always hurt, but not now.<p>

That heat felt grand. So grand, that he didn´t understand its existence. How could he? He didn´t even understand his own.

* * *

><p>He couldn´t disappear anymore.<br>He had missed his chance. Now there was a reason to stay in this existence. But he wouldn´t have given up anyway.

* * *

><p>The presence hadn´t come again.<p>

Instead there came fire. Hot, unbending fire. And that fire made him restless. Why couldn´t he move? The light didn´t come to him. Then he was going to search for it. Not moving was not going to stop him.

* * *

><p>After seeing that the hurt MetalGarurumon safely touched down on Imperialdramon´s back and devolved, WarGeymon entered the safety zone with Takuya in his hands. As soon as Wargreymon was inside Kari heard Davis inform Imperialdramon that they were ready to leave. Shortly later bright light blinded her, implying that yet so many other Digimon were dying. She swallowed painfully, closing her eyes, not wanting to see.<br>No matter that the battlefield was already far behind them. Only seconds had passed since WarGreymon and MetlaGarurumon had returned. It was dead silent. All mourning the innocent Digimon they had killed.

Kari was the one to break it. She took a step out of the crowd. WarGreymon was just putting Takuya down; a mischievous smile on his lips and happiness dancing in his eyes.

He sank down to the ground rather tiered, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Momentary happiness replaced by an anxious frown. She quickly wondered what could have made him tired, but the thought didn´t last long in face of her anger. He couldn´t see her, and maybe that was good. Kari clenched her fist once and released it again. She had never done anything like this, but only, because in her eyes no one had deserved so yet.

And she hit him, leaving a red mark on his cheek. Takuya´s eyes flashed open. This time it was confusion in his eyes. To Kari there was nothing to be confused about.

"What were you thinking?" She screamed at him. Behind her everyone held their breath. Kari was not often angry, but if she was no one dared to talk back to her. Because there always was a justified reason for her anger.

"How many Digimon do you think died because of you!" She shuddered just thinking about the numbers. " Just because we can´t let the enemy have either of you!" Would it not mean the doom of their world, Kari considered just leaving him behind. But she scratched that thought. Takuya had to have a reason for his action and not meant harm. At least she hoped.

"Well, sorry about that!" His brown eyes burning with anger, he jumped to his feet. Making everyone behind her gasp, he had talked back. Had Kari not known better, she would have said fire was blazing in those eyes, literally.

"But we have got a situation on our end, as well!" With that his eyes lost his focus on her and wandered to something at near her shoulder. A slight happiness returning to them.

"The others are still alive."

"Really?" She jumped. Kochi had walked up next to her. She hadn´t noticed him at all! She hadn´t even felt his darkness! Despite her fear and wariness of it.  
>Creepy.<br>It had much to do with his element, Kari knew that, and that she wasn´t fair, but she couldn´t help it.

Darkness.

To her it represented all that is evil.

Takuya nodded and set back down. Tired again, but relief not entirely leaving his features. She could only guess why, though.

"Wolfmon, Fairymon….everyone said so." And a smile returned. A smile that Kari had not seen yet on him. "They are alive, but we have to hurry. Ranamon and the others said they can wait, but apparently we have to get our human friends out there fast." His smile turned sad.

"What are you talking about?" Davis blabbered in between. "Imperialdramon is going to devolve, by the way."  
>True to his words Kari felt the ground disappear below her. Groaning filled the night as a dozen children landed painfully on hard ground.<br>Night?  
>Imperialdramon had carried them to the other end of the Digiworld. After a second look Kari recognized the surrounding area as Coela Beach.<p>

"Can´t you say that earlier, Davis?" Mimi complained "Next time you do that I'm going to make you eat Mrs. Yagami´s homemade food."

"Why only me?" Davis tried to hide his discomfort, but it was kind of obvious in his voice. "Ken is as responsible as I am."

"Maybe, but he doesn´t do this on a daily basis." Sora countered as she got to her feet and beat dust out of her jeans.

"I don´t-" A glare shut him up.  
>Kari felt somewhat sorry for him. Most of the 'unpleasant' stuff that happens isn´t really Davis fault. It just …. Kind of happens.<p>

"So Takuya, would you mind explaining the reason behind your actions?" Joe stepped close to him and took his pulse, because Takuya still hadn´t gotten up or moved, which is an amazing feat, considering they fell quite a number of feet from Imperialdramon´s back. Kari felt a bit guilty., though she knew it couldn´t have been her fault.  
>Takuya opened a tiered eye. He almost seemed as if he was going to fall asleep on the spot.<p>

"I´m all right, Joe. Just tired." Koichi hadn´t left Takuya´s side either. Unconsciously Kari took a step back. It was night. Darkness.

"….You see when we got out of this whirlpool, Agnimon and Vitramon inside me and Lowemon and KaiserLeomon inside Koichi kind of…-

"-resonated-"Koichi explained. It was creepy. He was almost invisible in the night. Even with all the stars, the moon and few flashlights.

"Yeah, that. We kind of needed to know if it was only the other Spirits inside that fortress or if our human friends were there, too. And since Kari couldn´t get me closer I took matters in my own hands."

"You do of course realize that we could have gotten you closer if you had explained." Tai pointed out. Kari didn´t know how much truth was mixed in his words. They would have tried. Surely. But if they would have made it with any less sacrifices...

Takuya shrugged and smiled lazily. "I didn´t think that far ahead."

Silence. Dead silence. Not even wind was blowing.

"Just great! We seriously have to take care of a third reckless idiot?" Matt exclaimed disbelieving." Just as Tai finally started using his head more and only Davis was cause for worry we got ourselves a third one."

"Hey!" Came the unified protest from the two. The two who still had energy to complain.

Kari suppressed a giggle. As did many others.

"So what about your friends?" Cody asked when there was no longer a danger of bursting into laughter as soon as one opened his mouth. At his question any laughter was drowned anyway.

"Alive." Takuya´s voice as hardly more than a whisper. "For now." He had his eyes still closed. In fact he hadn´t opened them during the entire conversation.

"But we have to hurry." Kari almost jumped. She had already forgotten again that Koichi stood there. He just faded into the night. "Wolfmon said so."

"Who is that?" Davis asked.

"The human Spirit of Light."

"Human?" Echoed through the Digidestined. Takuya had explained the each Spirit was made of two parts, but he had provided no further details.

"Yes, but more than that Takuya is going to pass out every second."

"He sure does look like that." Tai looked around. "But why? He had plenty of energy before- There is it!" He pointed at a glowing TV.

"…making contact with Wolfmon was this exhausting." Takuya answered as he slowly rose to his feet. Kari would have liked to support him, but Koichi was too close to Takuya for her to help him out. And Koichi already did that. She wanted to catch up to her brother who was walking at the front. Mostly, because she was afraid of Koichi, but she slowed down as she heard Takuya´s tiered whisper.

"Gabumon." Said Digimon turned around while they marched towards the TV. Kari saw him search for the speaker of the quiet voice and his eyes finally settled on Takuya. Mostly, because of Takuya´s half opened eyes were clued to him.

"What is it?" Gabumon left his place next to Matt and fell back to Takuya and Koichi. Kari saw him trying to mask his worry about the Darkness.

Takuya managed a half smile. Kari could swear she saw his eyes glaze over.

"I´m sorry you got hurt because of me."

Some tension fell from Gabumon. Kari saw it.

"Don´t mention it. I´ve seen worse. And it really is just a scratch." Kari couldn´t tell if Takuya heard him. He really seemed ready to fall over by the second. And each step only added to that.

* * *

><p>Izzy listened to the reports.<p>

Few minutes ago his friends, Takuya and a new boy returned. The fact that one bonus was with them told Izzy already before the reports that the mission had been a success.

And now he listened to the reports; suppressing the urge to interrupt the speaker -Tai in this case. Interrupting would only take more time for him to get all his answers as he had learned with time. Instead he added a note to his mental list of questions every time. The things that caught his attention so far were the not-so-good news about the Demon Lords and the part about Agnimon taking over Takuya´s body. That was more curiosity than the need to know, though. He added that to the list he had to ask Takuya or possibly the new boy –Koichi- about, seeing how Takuya was sleeping like dead on his bed it was likely the latter. On the very top of that list were very basic questions about the Spirit-system. Izzy didn´t know even close to enough to satisfy his curiosity. Last time he had been interrupted and it had slipped his mind, but now it wouldn´t. Taking over a body and the word 'host', as Takuya had used had way to much in common.  
>But Izzy had to be careful that his curiosity wouldn´t get the better of him. He had to focus on the important things and mail it to Gennai.<p>

"How many Spirits does the enemy have?" Izzy asked when the reports were finished. The air got tens from on second to the next. Not that it hadn´t been tense before, but now he could cut it with a knife. It was after all the question that pretty much said their chances of victory.

"All, but us." He feared as much.

"And they are still alive?"

Koichi nodded. "Wolfmon said so." Another thing to the list of curiosity questions. The Digimon. He hadn´t found the Digimon mentioned by Takuya in his analyzer; Agnimon and Vitramon. Gennai didn´t have any information on them either much to Izzy´s frustration.  
>How come he had two partners in the first place? Izzy guessed it had something to do with both representing fire and the 'two parts of one entirety' part. He couldn´t wait to find out.<p>

"That weren´t exactly the best news, but not the worst either." He summed up. "I´m going to write a mail to Gennai. Against 8 Spirits we hardly stand a chance." And there was something more, but didn´t feel the need to mention that. "I´d say we are finished for today. Koichi and Takuya will stay here for the time being. You can go home. That is if no one has a question."

"I do!"Izzy couldn´t exactly say that he was surprised. TK had eyed Koichi darkly the whole time.

"I´m against it." TK stared at Koichi with angry eyes. "We should erase Darkness from the face of the earth."

"I agree." Gatomon added. And Patamon nodded eagerly. Izzy swallowed nervously. He didn´t exactly have any valid arguments to protect a Darkness boy. Not to mention that he himself didn´t have the best experiences with it either.

"Why?"

It was simple question. One where the answer should have been obvious, and yet Koichi still asked it.

"'Why?' Do we need a reason?" Gatomon fletched her teeth in Kari´s lap. "Darkness is evil. It should be gone forever."

"Yeah. To tell the truth, your presence is sickening." TK said with as much poison as he could muster. It was one of the rare moments where TK was not a kind collected teenager.

Koichi only shook sadly his head. "No, it is not.

Darkness is not evil. Darkness has existed much earlier than evil.  
>It is the same with Light. It has existed before good. It just happens that over time Darkness has attracted evil as Light has good. In the beginning there was no difference between the two." His eyes wandered between Gatomon and Patamon and back. "I thought Light Digimon like you knew that. Darkness is not evil. It is purely neutral."<p>

That stuck hard. Izzy could see it. Partly because of the accusation between his lines and partly because he was trying to tell them that Darkness was 'not evil'. Even Izzy had a hard time believing that particular piece of information.  
>First Gatomon and Patamon were caught off guard and couldn´t argue back, then the room seemed to get hotter and sparks flew through the air. Koichi didn´t break eye contact first. It was Gatomon. The stubborn cat. Izzy deduced from that that some part of his explanation was true. Which part that was Izzy couldn´t tell.<p>

"Then tell me one thing." TK spoke again, seeing how his and Kari´s partner apparently were no longer able to argue. "Are you saying you can control the power of darkness?" His voice was still hard and poisonous.

"Control it?" Koichi asked for confirmation, Izzy guessed. And to his surprise Koichi shook his head once again. "No one can control Darkness. One can manipulate, corrupt and use it, but one can ever control it. Not even me, it´s embodiment."

"So what are you saying? That you are 'neutral' as well, or that you are waiting for somebody to use or corrupt your Darkness?"

A faint smile touched Koichi´s lips. "As long as I'm not corrupted I'm neutral. That means I act the way I think is what I am meant to do. And in this case it means that I team up with you." At first it didn´t sound logic to Izzy´s ears, but the more he thought about it, the more he could see the distant meaning that was implied.  
>Being teamed up with them was neither good nor evil from Koichi´s point of view. Izzy, of course, would have said it was good. But maybe that was not so. The key to the hidden thread of logic was 'act the way he thinks he is supposed to'. Izzy could also read in those words:" I´m not going to work with you because you are trying to protect a whole world, but because for other reasons." That would put Koichi in a neutral position.<br>Interesting. Very Interesting. Koichi´s way of reasoning. His motives. And his point of view. Izzy couldn´t wait to bombard him with questions once the others were gone. But for now he had to push his curiosity in the far sides of his mind. Izzy could safely bet that no one, save maybe Ken, had understood Koichi. The room was filled by a confused silence after all.

He was about to explain when Gabumon came first.

"You know he is right, Patamon, Gatomon." Oh yeah, Gabumon was a light type, too. It had completely slipped Izzy´s mind. Why hadn´t he said something before? Gabumon must have been as opposed to Koichi as the other two were. Oh….. except of course he knew about Koichi´s reasoning already in the beginning. But how did he? And why hadn´t he said so before? It could have saved time and a whole awkward situation. And Matt too, for that matter.

"Yeah, if you four could just swallow your prejudice you could feel that his Darkness is only dark and not evil." TK stared at his brother disbelieving as did Kari, as did everyone else in the room.

"What are you talking about?" TK finally managed to ask. Still terribly disbelieving with eyes round as tennis balls.

Matt shrugged. "I just thought, he wasn´t that bad of a guy and suddenly the Darkness didn´t feel any more evil than Davis."

"Me too." Gabumon confirmed. TK´s eyes narrowed and he glanced over to Koichi. After a while he said, "It isn´t to me."

"But to me." Kari gasped, staring at Koichi this time. "It´s not evil at all."

Koichi smiled rather timid, not avoiding eye contact with TK. One sided sparks flew again.

"All right can we go now? I´m starving. It´s already past 8." Davis said after he got bored from all the silent starring. Chibimon was already chewing on his sleeve.

"Well, sure. You are free to go. If I don't mail you, you can go to school tomorrow." Izzy almost smiled at the groans that came back as a reply. After the others were gone he winked Koichi over to him and started to work down the incredibly long list in his head.

* * *

><p>"Do you want seconds?"<p>

"Yes, please, Mrs. Izumi." Koichi raised an eyebrow at him. "You are aware that it´s already your third 'seconds', right?"

"So?" Takuya asked with his mouth full.

"No, nothing." Still one eyebrow sky-high.

"You know, just-"He swallowed his food."- by worrying you are not helping anyone. Not Koji, not anyone else."

"Yeah, I know, but…." Koichi sighed. He was deliberately avoiding eye contact with him, Takuya noticed. Of course he does, though. Koichi had never been a type of forward confrontations.

"We can´t do anything, but to trust and wait for Izzy and this Gennai to come up with a plan to save our friends. As a matter of facts, they aren´t exactly in the best position to give up on our comrades." Playing patient and all is nice, but Takuya was consuming a huge amount of food just to stop himself from running off again.

"How long does a conference with that guy last anyway? He has been at it for an hour." Seriously, Takuya couldn´t talk that much, even if he wanted to. Then again, he was no genius. His brain didn´t produce more thoughts then he could say.

"It might still take a little longer." Mrs. Izumi added from the kitchen. "The longest one he had so far took an entire day."

"A day!" He almost choked on his food. "How can two people talk that much?" And he had already skipped out on explaining everything to Koichi. Tai had to do that for him.

"Can I have another seconds Mrs. Izumi?"

She smiled and refilled his plate.

* * *

><p>"Are you telling me you talked with this Gennai person for over 5 hours and you didn´t come up with one decent plan?" Takuya sat disappointed on the floor in Izzy´s room. He was not pleased. And neither was Koichi, but of course he did a much better job at masking his emotions.<p>

"I´m sorry." Well, his apology seemed honest. Not that that would have any effect on Takuya. He was restless, inpatient and worried. His friends were dying. "It´s just, that we don´t have enough firepower to guarantee your safety or a save place for you to wait while we would attempt a rescue. And-"

"We don't need a guarantee or even a save place! Time is running out." His temper was getting the better of him. And he knew it.

"I know, but-"

"Why can´t we just come along? I did last time, and it´s not that I was captured."

"Takuya." Koichi tried. They weren´t getting anywhere like this. One some part of himself he knew that, too, but he didn´t listen to it. His temper and fire were blocking that little voice out quite beautifully.

"Do I have to remind you that Gabumon got hurt in the process and that possibly hundreds of innocent Digimon died?" He interrupted him with a sharp voice. It seemed that the whole Digimon killing business was a bit more serious here than it was back in their dimension. Surely Takuya didn´t like killing them, but if it was necessary Warriors did _not_ hesitate. To him it was clearly a necessity, but the Didgidestined here definitely thought differently.

"No! I do remember that, but if we don´t hurry they are going to die. And at the same time it would mean that this world is done for. There is no time to worry about a stupid plan."

Izzy sighed. "I know that. But losing one or two of you would mean the same. We cannot act harshly. Moreover, we don´t even know where the fortress is. A battle plan is no good if we don´t have a goal."

Damm it! Takuya hated this. Doing nothing but waiting. Relying only on others. And worst of all not being able to fight. And his flames were burning so strong. They felt the same. Agnimon and Vitramon, too were cursing.  
>If only he could fight! No matter what the price!<p>

…

Huh?

Somewhat the fire burning in him dimmed. Just for a second. Just a little. But Takuya knew it did. What was it? Insecurity? Nervousness? Fear? No that's absurd.

"Takuya?" That was Koichi.

It was hesitation. But why hesitation? Agnimon retreated a bit from his consciousness; reading Takuya`s emotion the way Takuya read his. There was something Agnimon didn´t want him to know about.

But only Agnimon. Vitramon was still there. Did that mean that only Agnimon knew about this? Unlikely. More like a difference in opinion. Something Agnimon wanted to hide and something Vitramon didn´t feel the need to hide….

"Are you ok?" This time it was Izzy.

But Agnimon knew him. As well as Takuya knew Agnimon. So he knew that Takuya would not ignore this matter. So Agnimon had better prepare himself.  
>But, geez, this whole predicting-other-peoples-thoughts-thing was not something he liked to do. And he was already only predicting himself. Well kind of.<p>

"Please excuse me for a bit. I have a bone to pick with a very dear friend of mine." He only got questioning and confused looks from both Koichi and Izzy. Takuya crossed his arms and legs, let his face fall into a frown, clearly telling do-not-talk-to-me-now.

* * *

><p>"What did he mean by that?" Izzy asked into the now quiet room. Koichi didn´t answer, instead his eyes were analyzing Takuya. To Koichi there was no doubt with whom Takuya was going to have a talk. What bothered him, was that usually they didn´t need to stop a conversation or sit down to 'think'- Takuya, of that he was sure, was not thinking. Usually emotions and opinions were the same between the host and the Spirits, he mused. Moreover so, since it was Takuya. Fire was not known for its great depth or being complex. And Takuya had the strongest bond with his Spirits. Everyone was close with their Spirits, but Takuya was special. So close that, according to Lowemon and KaiseLeomon, there hardly was any difference at all between their characters. Only, maybe that Takuya was more accepting.<p>

There was the problem. What could Takuya make say 'to pick a bone'?

Let´s see… The Fire Spirits characteristics are free and unforgiving. That could not be the point where they would disagree. It was the core of all three of them. Then what else? What could possibly make them disagree? Not their safety, not the others safety, not that something needed to be done. No….wait. Like this he didn´t make any process at all. None of them would be concerned about small things. Then…

What did Takuya think of as most important? Assuming Takuya was thinking the same way he did, it would be his friends.

What did Agnimon and Vitramon think of as most important? Even if the differences in character to Takuya may be small it could be important. Hence Koichi decided that he would heavily rely on his Spirits for that question. They had known the Fire Spirits longer than him. The reply came as soon as Koichi finished his thoughts. And it surprised him a bit. Not that the most important thing to the Fire Spirits was Takuya, but that he felt uneasiness from Lowemon and KaiserLeomon.

"I´m not sure, but I´m going to have a talk with my Spirits as well. It seems they know something."

"Go ahead. But please tell me about it." Koichi nodded slightly and closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>If you have questions concerning Izzy´s logic, don´t hold back. Ask. I´ll try to explain.<p>

Thanks for the reviews. And please review again.

**My next updates (at least 5 chapters) will start coming on December 24th. Please be patient till then.**


	11. Calm before the storm

Cerebrumon =Cerberusmon

Shisamon= Seasarmon

Matadrumon= Matadormon

Yukidarumon= Frigimon

* * *

><p>-next day-<p>

Davis came always late to school.  
>And currently he had a justified reason. Being on time would mean to be stormed with questions and occasionally even fan clubs. Today he hadn´t been speared, even though he was late once again. He sat in his class´s first period and the teacher was oddly late. Meaning it provided enough time for his classmates to suffocate him, Kari and TK with questions about the development in the Digiworld.<br>It was pretty annoying, even more so, because there were no good news to tell. Or rather imply. As a rule the Digidestined did not give statements, because it would lead to confusion if everyone said something else or got misunderstood.

So to say that Davis was surprised was a slight-very huge actually- understatement when the teacher finally arrived. He had almost hoped the teacher wouldn´t come at all. But no, he came, all right. And not alone. Two people tagged along. Two people he knew and two people who he had definitely not expected to see here. In school.  
>He glanced over at Kari. She was equally stunned, but managed a small smile. She was nice after all. She didn´t need a reason welcome friends. It wasn´t in her nature. From Davis definitions however at least one of the two in front did not yet count as friends, though. Responsibility sure, but friend … not just yet. Davis was not sure about the other of the two, either. Sure, like everyone had pointed out so nicely yesterday, they had some strikingly similar characteristics. And he was sure he could easily become friends with him. The reason he still didn´t count him as a friend was simple: Davis had hardly exchanged a word with the guy.<br>He glanced over at TK, not surprised to see a hard mask on his face. But TK couldn´t help it, he knew. It wasn´t all TK´s fault.

"Attention class." The teacher started. "As you can see we have two new students today." This had Izzy written all over it. Two new students in the same class as them. Not to mention that both of them are technically non-exist. "Please introduce yourselves."

The one with goggles, hat, red shirt a khaki jacket and grey pants stepped forward ."I´m Takuya Kanbara. I moved here from Shibuya." Moved? Well, it was the best description of their situation the public would get.

"I´m from Shibuya as well. My name is Koichi Kimura." Koichi wore a white-blue shirt and jeans.

Both perfectly normal students.

Takuya got seated in the last row at the windows and Koichi few seats behind TK. They should have changed seats. If only to prevent TK from getting a cramp in his face.

During the lesson Davis glanced to both of them often. That proved to be quite a challenge, though, since both were sitting behind him. But Davis did manage to steal a few looks at them.

Takuya had been sleeping. Using his arms as a pillow, hiding behind the book he was sleeping and in the winter sun. All save there.

With Koichi not so much. When Davis glanced at Koichi for the third time he almost fell of his chair. The first two times everything was ok. Perfectly normal. Koichi just stared at the blackboard with empty eyes. Nothing wrong with that. But the third time….

Davis saw that it took every bit of control that TK had to not jump from his chair and …. do not so nice things to Koichi.

Koichi still stared at the blackboard, but his brown eyes were shadowed by a painful frown and he bit his lip. But that was not all. Parts of his body, especially his arms were clouded by dark matter. Davis watched fascinated till the dark fog disappeared, Koichi´s expression relaxed and his eyes changed back to a dark blue.

Davis was confused, all right.

He stole another glance at Kari and TK only to see that both of them were close to freaking out. Strangely enough, though, none of the other students seemed to have noticed that Koichi had been clouded by a nasty aura.  
>The next time Davis looked over, Koichi was the same as before; emptily staring up front.<p>

A certain somebody will be answering questions at the next best opportunity.

* * *

><p>Or that had been his idea. Davis should have known better. The ten minutes in the morning had not been enough by far to answer two weeks' worth of questions. Moreover so since students from other classes crowded as well. Hence Kari, TK and Davis were once again surrounded by a mob of worried or just plainly interested classmates.<p>

Takuya and Koichi were questioned as well. Just not about the Digiworld. Guessing from the majority of female attention the two got it were more personal questions. But Davis had no space to feel sorry for them; he was way too busy avoiding his own mob. And that was quite a challenge. Especially, because few had partner Digimon left behind in the Digiworld. Either ´cause they hadn´t been allowed to keep them at home or because they thought the crisis would be over quickly. A friend of his from the soccer club was one of the latter. A wave of guilt hit Davis as he looked at him; they hadn´t lived up to the expectations and not-knowing worried so many other Digidestined. Davis was sure that he would get crazy from that; not knowing if Chibimon was still alive. He was somewhat lucky that he was in the middle of the action, but then again he was not. All the battles, the danger to V-mon… and it still made Davis blood freeze thinking of all the Digimon Imperialdramon had deleted. Some of those Digimon might have had partners. He swallowed hard and forced the memories back into the past. Back then it couldn´t been helped. Either that or ….

Davis hardly noticed that Takuya had left his crowd behind and that he and Koichi had left the room. When he finally got rid of all his classmates Davis thought the two of them would have already been swallowed by the endless school building. Instead he almost ran into a wall as soon as took one step out of the room. In his hurry he hadn´t seen somebody standing right in front of the door.

"What are you doing standing behind a door?" Was his very intelligent question. There was a small mountain of more important ones, like 'what are you doing in school' or 'are you trying to drive TK crazy'.

Both turned around. Takuya put a hand behind his head and smiled embarrassedly.

"Well, actually we wanted to eat lunch, but then Koichi remembered that we don´t know where the canteen is. I was just about to convince Koichi that searching for it would be more fun than asking when you came along. So mind giving directions?"

"Sure. All of us are usually meeting outside, though. Sadly it is kind of impossible to have a quite break with so much attention." Davis walked through the corridor towards the stairs at the end with both of them following.

"Yeah, I noticed." Takuya glanced back to the overly loud classroom behind them. "What´s up with that? Are the three of you some kind of celebrities?"

"No." Davis sighed. "It´s just that the Digiworld is locked down at the moment and us Digidestined are the only ones that know what is happening on the other side." Takuya looked at him as if Davis had just spoken in another language.  
>"As long as we haven´t taken care of the crisis in the Digiworld other Digidestined aren´t allowed or able to enter it." He tried to explain, but it didn´t seem to do any good. If possible Takuya had an even bigger question mark on his face, which surprised him. Even Davis wasn´t that dense. Maybe his explanation was strange?<br>"There is no contact between the human and the Digiworld-"

"Are you saying that the Digiworld and Digimon are public knowledge?" Koichi asked; surprise and disbelieve in his voice.

Now he got it. No wonder Takuya didn´t understand him.

"Yeah. Since about 4 years ago. There are plenty of Digidestined besides us 12."

"Then how come only you are fighting?" Takuya frowned. "It´s not fair that you guys are carrying all the responsibility."

"It´s not that they don´t want, it´s just that they can´t and that we don´t allow it." Davis continued. "We have the most experience and strength. Only few of the newer Digidestind can evolve their partners to champion level. They are just too weak."

Takuya´s frown didn´t disappear on the contrary; it deepened. "They can´t get stronger if you don´t give them a chance."

While Davis agreed with him the risks were just too huge. They would end up having to kill their opponents because they don´t have the possibilities to overpower them. They might end up captured or dead ´cause they were to weak. And that´s what Davis told him.

"But sill-"

"You should ask Izzy about that. You´re staying with him, right." Davis cut Takuya off before he could argue back, he was not made for explaining. "More than that, these Spirits you guys have, what level do they have? They do have a level, right?" Davis had been wondering about that for a while. If they were representing one element they had to be strong. Even more so if even the 'host' –Davis still didn´t get that part- was influenced enough to make him heat resistant.

"I´m not so sure about that." Takuya mused. "In our dimension levels didn´t mean all that much."

"I´d say our Human Spirits are champion level and Beasts are ultimate." Koichi answered as he opened the door to the canteen. So not as strong as Davis had expected. "But even then we still have trouble to rank all of our evolutions." Koichi added in a by-the-way tone. It was Davis turn to be confused now, but he didn´t manage to put it into a question before Takuya took over.

"That´s how it is, i think. We are familiar with normal levels, but I don´t think they apply to our Spirits directly." He paid for his food and waited for Koichi to do the same while he continued. " You see, I defeated a Cerebrumon in my very first battle in the Digiworld. And I still didn´t have my Beast Spirit then. On the other hand I had trouble fighting a Wizarmon."

"Defeating a Cerbrumon and trouble against a Wizarmon?" Davis asked incredulously, but Takuya just shrugged. What a messed up system. But than again it had advantages, not being bound by levels. Battles against higher leveled Digimon were almost always a sure loss to them.

Davis didn´t know how Takuya and Koichi used to fight, but it was clear that they couldn´t now, since they didn´t have Digivices. Maybe the Digivice could somehow give the Spirit a body? I was a different kind of Digivice from theirs after all. Called D- tec-something. He voiced his question.

Takuya and Koichi traded glances before agreeing with him. That would have been fine if it hadn´t been for that stupid smile on Takuya´s face. An amused and sly grin.

They were leaving the canteen now and to Davis it was seriously a mystery as to why he hadn't been swarmed all over again. He was not going to stick around to find out why, though. He hurriedly left the canteen and the school building behind and led Takuya and Koichi to the place where he and the other Digidestined that went to this school always met. He wasn´t sure all of them could make it today, though. Davis himself had left his crowd to TK and Kari while Cody and Yolei were the only active Digidestined in their grade. So maybe they were to 'occupied' to come.

Leaving the school ground, crossing the street and entering an apartment building nearby, Davis felt freer. The reason they were never bothered during their breaks was simple. Students were not allowed to leave school grounds. Davis however did not see the need to obey that rule and the others quickly followed after unsuccessfully trying to find a quiet place for lunch on the campus.

Shortly after Davis had opened the door to the roof he was attacked by a hungry Chibimon.

"Davish!" He squealed giggling as Davis lifted him from his head. "I´m hungry!"

Smiling he set Chibimon back to the ground. In-training Digimon were always hungry. And they had more energy than good for them; like there was this one time when they were waiting for a bus…..

"Where is Yolei?"

"And Cody?" Respectively pink and yellow balls of fur asked; the pink one with a feather sticking from its head flew-jumped up and down on the roof while its yellow counterpart was bouncing towards Davis.

"Escaping their fan clubs, maybe?" He dropped down to the floor and pulled his lunch out. "I´m sure they are trying. I only managed because I ditched my part on TK and Kari." Chibimon happily swallowed the chocolate Davis´ mother had packed for him.

"You did what?" Gatomon asked from a far corner. In a very not pleased voice. Patamon was next to her. Why hadn´t Davis noticed them before? But even from the distance Davis could see Gatomon´s narrowed eyes and he could swear he could see her claw sparkling. Almost choking on his bite Davis tried to explain.  
>"It wasn´t my fault!" Gatomon would never hurt him, but she was still a bit scary. "It was their fault!" He pointed at Takuya and Koichi with his chopsticks. The two of them were chatting idly behind him leaning at the railing.<p>

Chibimon blinked. As did Upamon and Poromon.

"Why are they here?" Chibimon asked, whipping his mouth with a 'hand', coloring it brown as well.

"Of course they are here because…." They were here because…..damm. He forgot all about that. " So, why are you here?" He asked, facing two who, looking now, weren´t chatting all that carefree. Takuya gave him an annoyed smile.

"While Izzy and Gennai are working on a strategy they sent us here so that you can –and I quote – 'properly protect us'." Davis didn´t need to be a genius to figure out that at least Takuya was not pleased at all with that decision. "So he hacked into the computer system and sent us off to the class with the most of you in it." He leaned back and watched the sky. The smile faltering just a bit.

"We might get called back soon, though." Koichi added, because it was obvious that Takuya was not exactly present anymore. "When we left it was only a matter of the place anymore."

"What place?" Davis inquired not specifically fond of the idea to leave before soccer training.

"Yeah, what place?" Davis jumped almost to his feet. He hadn´t noticed her at all. The owner of the new voice sat down beside him and passed sweets to Poromon.

"When did you get here, Yolei?" Davis asked.

"Just now, actually. So what place?" She emptied her usual bag of sweets and didn´t pay much attention. Koichi looked at her, raising an eyebrow, but didn´t say anything. It was Takuya who took over again.

"A place for a trap."

Davis didn´t miss that his eyes glistered in excitement. He used to feel the same after all. But all that's left now is worry.

"What kind of trap? The kind where we hope to defeat as many enemies as possible or the kind where we have an ulterior motive?" Yolei asked while handing Poromon a new snack with, teasing him with it before finally looking up with a serious expression. Davis couldn´t help but wonder how she always changed her moods so fast. Had to be a girl thing.

Takuya grinned. "The second kind. We are going to save our friends." Well that is good.

Wait- what?

"How?" If they had a possibility to save them why didn´t Izzy or Gennai say something earlier? So much they could have done. So many could have been saved. So many Digimon could have been freed. "I thought Izzy and Gennai had no idea how to save your friends?"

"We kind of gave him a new direction." Though Davis didn´t know what he meant, he did notice that Takuya´s smile once again faltered. Just a little. That wasn´t all that good.

Davis didn´t want to think of this new 'direction' as something extreme as Takuya´s burning-ball action. Even though Davis was not one to fear risky moves -he was after all the second generation of the courage Digidestined-, but no one else would survive a jump in a fire ball. Starring in those mischievous eyes Davis sure hoped Izzy knew what he was doing.

"Then do you know some details? Like how we get your friends out of there?"

" Well..."Creepy! Why was he almost sparking with excitement? Koichi looked nothing like that. "One of you is going to infiltrate the fortress with Koichi while I´ll play decoy and you are protecting me."

Yolei spilled her drink. And Davis could only guess how stupid he himself looked. Decoy? Infiltration with one the guys the enemy wants? Takuya was kidding. There is no way that Gennai or Izzy would approve of that.

Though the plan didn´t seem all that bad... If they could keep the attention enough to give the infiltration team time….

"But why is only one of us going with Koichi? And why Koichi in the first place?"

Yolei gasped at him. "You aren´t seriously agreeing with him, right?"

Davis shrugged. "Why not? We need to get them out, so better this than nothing." He grinned at her. "And if you don´t want to do it, the enemy won´t expect us doing this either."

"Hmpf." She glared at him. Somehow that only raised Davis´s spirits more, but he looked at Takuya again and waited for an explanation. Said one grinned as always.

"Not so sure about the first one, but Koichi is going because one of us Warriors is needed to find the others and it´s Koichi, because Izzy said they´d want Fire more than Darkness. But don´t worry about that. We have an idea how to confuse them."

"But still… only one to protect Koichi? Isn´t that a bit few?" Yolei argued. Davis knew she was still by far not argeeing, but oh well….

"Not to protect." Takuya said sternly. "We can protect ourselves. The one will be tagging along for backup and support." Davis stared at him. Takuya almost died in his first confrontation and now he says they don´t need to be protected? Davis took the liberty and reminded him of it.

Takuya crossed his arms and pouted. Davis knew he was only pretending, though. Why else would his lips twitch upwards? "Why thanks, I do remember that. To me it was just the day before yesterday." He dropped his mask and gave him a regretful smile. "It was just that back then I didn´t know I could."

"So now you can?"

"Yeah?"

"How?"

"It´s simple, really. We just forgo our D-tectors."

This was not Davis´s definition of simple.

"What do you mean by that? How can your Spirits fight without a Digivice?" Yolei pointed out with a frown.

"Yeah. Digimon need a Digivice to evolve."

Davis almost jumped again. Gatomon had sneaked up behind him and was sitting with the other in-training Digimon eating sweets now. She eyed Koichi, though.

"Apparently that rule doesn´t exactly apply to Spirits." Takuya explained, lying down on his back and watching the sky. "We can evolve without them. There are just a few catches, but it´s nothing you need to worry about."

"Huh? But I thought your Digivices give the Spirits a body." Davis remembered.

"Kind of. Our Spirit Evolution with D-tector overwrites our Data with that of the Spirits. Now without Digivices our Data will get fused." Koichi answered, exchanging glances with Takuya, who had that stupid sly grin of his again. "That´s what I was preparing for earlier in the classroom, by the way."

"…"

Davis was lost after the first sentence and Yolei didn´t seem to fare any better than him, but he did understand that that creepy fog was part of an evolution. Davis sure was lucky he wasn´t all that sensitive towards Darkness. Poor TK. "Well… what matters is that you can fight."

Koichi gave him a strange look but agreed. A few minutes later, while Davis was happily chatting with Takuya about soccer and promising him to introduce him to the trainer later the four D-terminals showed a massage from Izzy.

* * *

><p>Admittedly the plan was good.<p>

That was if one ignored the various uncertainties. The idea was to have Izzy, who hadn´t appeared on the battlefield until now, pose as Koichi. His hair was already colored black. Then, while the decoy group pretended to be caught off guard and lured the enemy fortress to the designed place, Koichi and Cody – using the fact that the fortress only flew about a few hundred feet above the ground- were going to infiltrate; extraordinary huge trees that were growing serving as cover.  
>Then, after Digmon had made a hole into the fortress, both of them were going to search the inside for Spirits and their Digidestined while at the same time they were sending data that a modified D-terminal was going to collect to the other D-terminals where the Data would be converted into a map. The decoy group on the other hand was supposed to fight desperately to protect Takuya. They wouldn´t be able to run, because the next TV was going to be broken. After half an hour of combat one of the Digimon - didn´t matter which one- would break through the enemy lines, infiltrate as well create a commotion on the inside, destroy as much as possible and if needed provide backup for the other two. If by some miracle everything would have gone as planned Digmon would dig them out of the fortress hopefully with 8 Spirits and 4 humans- how Digmon was supposed to carry that many was ignored.<p>

That was the plan. It really wasn´t bad, Kari mused. Reckless and high-risk maneuvers wasn´t what they had done so far and the enemy wouldn´t expect it, but….

There was no end to the list of buts. For example it was all based on theories and possibilities. They had no way of knowing if the enemy would arrive with their fortress or without. It was a gamble. Next they were relying on the idea that no one was going to notice that Cody and Digmon were not on the battlefield, not to mention Izzy´s Koichi-imitation. While it was possible to make an entire army of who knows how many Digimon follow them; hiding, letting them pass only to sneak up and enter their headquarters was not so much. And then there was the little problem that Izzy and Gennai had no idea if Digmon was able to even scratch the black material that made up the fortress.

The list goes on like that; full of uncertainties and dangers. Thinking about it now as she stared at tall steep mountains on the one side and a deep canyon on the other, Kari just couldn´t believe that Izzy had agreed to this gamble. To top it, it was Izzy´s idea in the first place.

Gatomon sat on her shoulder and twisted her tail around Kari´s neck. Something she only did id she was nervous or anxious. Kari patted her head unconsciously.

The weather was fine. The sky was blue and the white tips of the mountains almost merged with it. Kari shifted uncomfortably. Snow screeched as she left a new mark in the withe ground. She stood outside of the group rather taking in her surroundings; the scenery that would become a battle field soon if the enemy took the bait of Takuya –and Koichi- being in the Digiworld. The actual would-be battlefield was still further away, but the countryside would remain the same.

Kari sighed as her gaze shifted to the center of her friend´s attention. Just now Koichi was entrusting Takuya with the Beast Spirit of Darkness. Apparently that was needed in case the enemy had some kind of radar to track Spirits. And it had to be the stronger Spirit so that it might overshadow the Human Spirit´s signal. Again only an assumption.

Koichi parted with it only reluctantly if she interpreted the frown on Koichi´s face right. From what Kari could see Koichi handed a dark cloud to Takuya. He took it carefully and as it disappeared –in Takuya´s body or mind or whatsoever- Kari saw a solid form beneath the swirling darkness; a black and gold object. Small compared to the power it wielded if it indeed was the Spirit. And to Kari´s surprise she only got a feeling of overwhelming power from it. Nothing negative or positive at all. Neutral.  
>She sighed. That´s what he had said. Not evil.<p>

Koichi, Cody and Armadimon headed into the bordering forest while the rest followed her brother in the opposite direction near the future battlefield.

This countryside was not the best choice for an ambush, but a better place would have been suspicious as Izzy said.

Kari fell a bit behind as she watched her friends chatting happily about school and other things they had missed during their 2 week mission. The calm before the storm. Only once in a while somebody –mostly Joe- would steal a nervous glance behind them and check the surroundings quickly. Kari, too, was unnaturally relaxed. It was new for her and it wasl slightly creepy to be so calm. Had it not been for Joe she could have thought they were just going to help out a poor Digimon that needed help. Nothing dangerous or suicidal at all.

To keep the appearance of a normal visit Izzy had organized that a not-so-troubled Digimon would be waiting for them somewhere ahead and ask for help. Then they would follow it to a landslide where another Digimon was buried beneath the rubble. In reality there was no such Digimon. And hopefully the attack would occur then. If not, they might as well go home.

"Ow!"

Kari rubbed her nose and looked up to the person she had just walked into. Eyes as brown as her own looked worried at her. Her brother had left the front and was now walking beside her. She felt his worried glance but didn´t pay it much mind. If Tai wanted to know, he would ask and then she would answer if she wanted to. But he didn´t. So Kari focused on the way ahead of her so that she wouldn´t hit somebody else.

The mood was really not what normally happened when they headed to battle. Right now it was much more cheerful. Takuya and Davis were the best example. One goggle head laughed then said something and made the second leader laugh as well. Must be nice. Though she was relaxed and not exactly nervous, she still had and underlying anxiousness.

"What are you worrying about?"

Kari shifted her gaze to Tai´s worried face and couldn´t help but sigh again.

"I´m just wondering why Izzy came up with this idea." To her surprise Tai nodded and a deep frown appeared between his eyebrows as he studied the usually redheaded genius.

"I know what you mean. This coming from Izzy, I can´t help but think of this as a desperation act." Kari noticed his eyes flash to two goggle heads. "This plan is something either Davis or me perhaps also Takuya would come up with. Maybe, since it was Izzy, we really don´t have much time anymore." He set his jaw and grinded his teeth. With his stubborn gaze he followed Takuya´s every movement. Kari nodded. She had entertained similar thoughts, but hoped she was far from the truth. Takuya´s friends were close to dying. And maybe that even had something to do with the sudden announcement that they didn´t need a Digivice to fight. And she wondered what the price was.

"Do you know how they are planning to fight?"

Tai´s eyes lit up in a way that had become rare over the years. Momentarily she felt like the 8 year old she had been during her first trip to the Digiworld.

"Takuya said they fused with their Spirits," he grinned excitedly at her confusion," he said he would turn into a Digimon."Kari´s look hushed over to Takuya.

"I couldn´t believe it either, but I mean, why not?" Tai continued, "He does come from a different dimension. Who said it wasn´t possible. And Izzy seems to have built this plan heavily on that thought. Apparently the enemy wouldn´t expect them to be able to evolve, because –don´t look like that I´m just repeating what Izzy told me- the contact to their home dimension is still jammed. Which is why they will only fight if it can´t be helped otherwise, to keep the surprise factor for as long as possible." He smiled in his typical smile. One that had really a calming effect on everyone and Kari smiled as well. That was her brother. Making worries and problems disappear with a smile.

One that fell, when the earth started to shake and the laugher of her friends was drowned by battle cries. The good part was that indeed the fortress was there. The bad part started with the unaccounted number of other Digimon that Kari had not yet seen following the command of the enemy. Vademon, Giromon, Shisamon, Stegomon, Sangloupmon, Cerberumon, Matadrumon. Thinking they had been outnumbered before seemed ridiculous now.

And she doubted they would leave the battle alive. The sky was tained by the sheer numbers.

* * *

><p>Angewomon dodged Cerberumon´s green flames and Kari strengthened her old on Angewomon´s arm. It was all still going according to plan. Theoretically.<p>

The army followed and they were moving towards the right direction. It was just that it couldn´t be called luring. Much more running. All Angewomon managed was to run away and avoid as much as possible. All Ultra level Digimon only ran away and yet they were covered in scratches.  
>Kari smelled burned hair. She wasn´t sure whether it was hers or Angewomon´s. A cut on her arm from when Angewomon hadn´t evaded fast enough burned in the cold air. And frostbite on her legs from a head on ice attack made her loose feelings in them.<p>

WarGreymon and Impreialdramon tried to cover for MetalGarurumon who was targeted, because he carried both Matt and Takuya. But really, they too, could only try. Both had already some more or less deep wounds. Same for their partners, Kari guessed. She couldn´t really see that, though.

Angewomon dodged with a barrel roll and Kari lost sight of them. Green flames scorched her hair and her eyes strung from the heat.

Suddenly Angewomon cried in pain and dropped in altitude. Red hot blood ran from her shoulder in Kari´s clothes, in a disgusting way shielding her from the cold. Kari didn´t have time to ask if she was alright. With the next move air was pressed from her lungs and she was left to hold on for dear life.

The ground had come uncomfortably close when she opened her eyes the next time. And even though it was covered in white snow she wouldn´t survive a fall. Angewomon flapped her wings and quickly left the ground behind again. Attacks meant for her missed and melted the snow, showing brown soil beneath. As Angewomon evaded a Giromon Kari noticed a red substance sticking to its saw.

Maybe it was Angewomon´s, maybe someone else's, but the message was clear: at this rate they were all going to die. Wasn´t there something they could do?

Kari tried to get a better gasp of the battle. So far nobody had died and from what Kari could see all Digimon were still engaged in battle. But that was not good enough. Soon they had to stop running and hold their ground to buy Koichi and Cody time. It was just, that at this rate, the second they did that they would be overrun by enemies; then, surrounded from all sides, ground and air they were going to be killed. What to do to prevent that? Her mind was working overtime.

The momentum of another dodge shifted Kari´s gaze towards the mountains and then to the canyon.

It was a long shot.

The glowing blue dot of MetalGarurmon was already heading into the Matt had the same idea.

"Into the canyon, Angewomon!" Kari didn´t know if Angewomon had heard her or if she had had the same idea or was just following MetalGarurumon, but she changed curse. Lilimon was following as well. Maybe more, Kari didn´t know. Angewomon dived into the canyon and followed after WarGeymon, dodging some kind of energy ball. The attacks got fewer but more focused and the stray attacks often ripped parts down from the walls left and right. Sure, the danger of a collapse was there, but in turn the walls also provided cover.

And with a grim smile Kari realized that now they were using the numbers of the enemy to their advantage. There were only so many Digimon that could shoot at once without hitting their comrades. But she wondered if the Digimon had a feeling of comradeship. The majority was controlled after all. In front of her WarGreymon, MetalGarurumon and Imperialdramon Fighter Mode had come to a stop and were defending their partners on the ground now. Now they had to buy time; not run anymore. From above them Garudamon flew –or rather fell- down as well, protectively holding Sora in her hand and bracing for impact.

Lilimon was still flying behind Angewomon, shooting her flower canon while with the other arm hugging Mimi´s hip. Actually Mimi had been supposed to fly with Garudamon, but they had been too surprised by the attack to do that. Kari felt Angewomon´s grip around her tighten. So much that she hardly had space to breath, but that was not what worried her. Angewomon almost scraped over the ground and her flight was unsteady. Her blood was still flowing freely.

Kari strained her neck to study her face. It was pale and her lips were pressed in a tight line. Hot and cold air from WarGreymon´s and MetalGarurumon´s attacks brushed blond hair in her face and shadowed her sight. But she had seen enough.

Angewomon flew past MetalGarurumon and stopped in the circle that the Digimon were forming to protect their partners. Angewomon kneed down and set her to the rocky ground where she was greeted by a worried and scratched up Tai. She ignored him and held on to Angewomon, who wanted to take off again despite the running blood.

"You stay here." Kari said firmly. Angewomon´s eyes were hidden behind metal, but Kari didn't need to read them to know that she was not ageing with her. "You won´t be going anywhere before Joe took a look at you."

"I´m fine. It´s just a swallow cut." She stood up, ignoring Kari´s protests. She was just about to return to battle when somebody else spoke.

"I agree with Kari." Tai said as he put an arm on his sister´s shoulder. "You should stay here and cover from behind with your arrows." The ground shook heavily. And Tai had to raise his voice even more. "Not only because of your injuries, but because WarGreymon and the others won´t be able to hold all Digimon off. "

Kari agreed with him. And reluctantly Angewomon agreed as well.

No matter how much the canyon provided cover, it posed an equally huge thread if it should collapse. And even now she had to be careful not to be hit by raining rocks and such. And what if Digmon would attack from underground again? The Digimon can hardly deal with fighting of the enemies right now and it is only just the beginning. Right now they were still kept at relative distance but it was only a matter of time until they would be more or less overwhelmed. Kari guessed that more than half of the enemy Digimon were still outside the canyon, maybe searching where all of them by now had disappeared to. And both sides of the canyon were already swarming with them. So many that they limited each other's movements, which was kind of stupid. But that didn´t matter. At best they might be able to hold out for ten minutes – which was far from the planned 30. And then there was the problem that they had no escape route down here. They were trapped.

Maybe using the Canyon hadn´t been such a good idea after all. Ant to make matters worse, Kari realized it was too narrow for Impreialdramon in its normal mode. So that possibility was down as well.

Kari didn´t cover her ears even though they hurt from the vibrations and noise of battle. Kari walked over to her friends in the middle of the protective circle. She eased Davis´s worries by saying that it wasn´t her blood.

"But are you ok? You look terrible." She asked him. Davis had many scratches and cuts. One she specifically noticed was on his lower cheek. The blood had run down and left a fine trail behind that disappeared beneath his jacked. His clothes were slightly burned and ripped at some places. He looked down at himself as if he had just remembered his wounds.

"It´s nothing." He gestured at the others. "Only minor injuries. You look much worse than us." He added worriedly.

"It´s Angewomon´s blood."

"Oh." He broke eye contact, looked at Angewomon shortly and then back to her, trying his hardest to give her a reassuring smile. "Don´t worry." He glanced at Takuya who was staring at his D-terminal. "Takuya said Koichi has freed at least one already." Davis´s smile turned from attempt to real. "Look!" He pointed at the battlefield. Kari didn´t see anything special. Just chaos.

"The Ice Digimon are fleeing."

Kari looked again and this time she saw a Yukidarumon disappear into the masses of other Digimon. Leaving an icy trail and several partly frozen enemies. A huge wave of relive washed over her only to die away again shortly after. There were enough Digimon to fill the Ice-types holes. Moreover, Ice Digimon were only few in number in the first place.

But if Cody and Koichi hurry, maybe…

She let her gaze wander to the one most likely able to tell if the infiltration team can succeeded more. He had few scratches and a lense of his goggles was broken. Takuya was still holding his D-terminal, but he didn´t look at it. He watched the battlefield puzzled.

"I´ve been wondering about this before," She overheard Takuya ask Tai, "but why are you holding back so much? Why aren´t you deleting them?"

* * *

><p>I´m really sorry that the update took so long, but now it holidays again. To celebrate the first chapter in quite a while and Christmas this chapter is extra long.<p>

Merry Christmas to you. :)

Please comment and thanks for it.

The next chapter will be up in 2 or 3 days. pleas look foreward to it.


	12. Infiltration

chapter 11: infiltration 1

* * *

><p>„I´ve been wondering about this before, but why are you holding back so much? Why aren´t you deleting them?"<br>Oops. Well, okay, maybe that did come out a bit less caring than intended, but it was exactly what he wanted to know anyway. The look Takuya got from Tai just confirmed, that it was indeed not the very best way to ask. Off mark by maybe just a mile or something.

But hell, they were on a battlefield. Even Takuya can´t be always perfect.

"What do you mean?" Tai asked with not-so-much underlying suspicion and repulsion. Takuya would have thought he had grown a second head from the look directed at , let's be very careful with this, your mess, he reminded himself.

"Just what I said. Of course, I do understand that you want to kill as few Digimon as possible, but in situations like this it can´t be helped, I think." Add to the second head another four arms and maybe few dangerous limps. Not so good. "I´m not saying that you should just kill them all off the way I made you do last time, but I don´t understand why you aren´t even half serious."

"We are serious. Deadly serious." Tai replied seriously sour.

"Yeah, I know that, but what I mean is why are you risking your lives for them? Digimon that you don´t even know?" He waved at the blooming battle where with rather good timing just another wave of explosions erupted.

Perhaps he saw something flicker across Tai´s face before it disappeared under distrust and other not nice emotions, perhaps not. He hoped whatever it had been was friendly, he doubted it, though.

"It is natural, isn´t it?" Tai stared him in the eyes and it made Takuya feel uncomfortable. The elder boy´s glare just pierced through him. "These Digimon did not want to serve Phelesmon. They don´t want to harm us or die trying. And we can´t just delete them because they are controlled and forced against us. We are Digidestined chosen to protect the Digiworld and its inhabitants, not to kill them. Or was that different in your world?" He became bluntly accusing with disgust in his voice. Not that Takuya blamed him much. Right now he was just misunderstanding Takuya´s point a bit, but it still wasn´t pleasant.

"No, it wasn´t, but if a Digimon disrupted our mission we deleted it." … Did he say something wrong again?

"Are you saying you killed whoever crossed you?" Said like that it most certainly did sound wrong.

"Well, no, but we just didn´t want to risk the fate of the Digiworld on sentimentalism in battle." He explained quickly, but maybe a bit too calm. He blamed the others inside of him for that. Trying not to press any more wrong buttons, Takuya broke eye contact. "That´s what I noticed in your fighting style.

Your partners hesitate delivering the final blow or they miss vitals in the first place. Now missing isn´t bad or anything, but what if, because you failed to finish off one Digimon that same Digimon has no hesitation whatsoever finishing a friend of yours. Controlled or not I´m sure you would regret it. Moreover so, because said Digimon maybe didn´t want to kill your friend but was made to.

Then, because you hesitated, not only will the chances for victory be even slimmer, but also will you have turned that one Digimon into a killer. And maybe loosing just that one Digidestined would be the one point responsible for loosing this war. How guilty do you think would that Digimon feel?

You see my point?

I think, it is better if we kill the enemy than let them kill us. And, isn´t it protecting as well by deleting them and releasing them from control? You wouldn´t protect their body, but their soul."

By now the entire group of Digidestined had listened to what Takuya said. And he sure as hell did not like what he saw in their faces. Whoops. Takuya would have thought they were staring at the devil incarnated, had it not been him who was the center of attention. Bad. Very bad.

"Are you saying that we should turn this into a massacre?" Matt asked instead of his brother who was too busy shaking with anger. But venom dripped of every word anyway.

"Of course not!" Now they were overdoing it with accusations. "I'm asking if it is all right with you to weight the fate of millions of other innocent Digimon and the Digiworld against the lives of those who are serving the enemy _unwillingly_!" Takuya sure hoped they hadn´t thought about it this way, otherwise a very good argument would be lost.

Apparently they hadn´t.

All faces were still angry; just now some were a _little bit_ startled as well. Not that it was going to help, but it was a beginning.

But, geez, he sure got himself into a fine mess again, seeing chaos and angry faces around him. Where was the annoying idiot when he needed him? Koji was responsible to keep him out of the worst trouble.

Oh right, he was caught in that giant box of a flying fortress.

As Takuya looked at the faces of his supposed-to-be-protectors he couldn´t help but to grade this as one of those disasters Koji usually prevented. Granted, maybe Takuya should have picked a better timing to ask this particular question, especially seeing how angry Digidestined made a way too nice picture with explosions, landslides and rock-rain in the background, but how could he have known that he was stepping into a land-mine?

Tai spoke and broke the starring contest, which Takuya was losing by a heavily by the way. Then again, it was hardly even; 1 vs 11. Not fair at all.

"I understand where you are coming from." He said. Calm, not one note of anger or other emotion in his voice, but maybe with a some distaste. "But that does not mean that we agree."

… It was amazing, a part of Takuya´s mind awed off task; Tai dispelled the heavy atmosphere with just with a few words. Some were already turning away to look at their partners. In a mental note Takuya wrote down not to cross him if possible.

"I do understand your reasoning," he said again, "and maybe you are right, we are risking a lot, but at the same time we couldn´t just give up on all these poor Digimon without trying, right?"  
>His expression saddened and Takuya involuntarily wondered just what could make them so rejecting of death. Tai wiped that expression away and replaced with a grim frown. One he used for battle. Takuya had learned that pretty fast. He had been the focus of that stare just seconds before. Leaving him, Tai stepped to Izzy giving some orders Takuya didn´t hear.<p>

Not that he was really left alone. The protected space, the partner Digimon were covering was only about 20 feet in diameter. They all were mentally in their partner´s battle, though. Only Kari was still somewhere near him with Angewomon.

With Tai gone the atmosphere was really heavy and silent –if one ignored the background fighting, which was actually loud enough to permanently damage his ears- again. Admittedly that was the only thing which stopped him from asking about the thing that had marked them all, though.

Takuya forced battle unrelated thought to the back of his head for later -then again, the bomb he had set of had been related, hadn´t it? - to focus on the present and things he could do to improve the situation. Which was not much, really.

He felt his fire, however, burning strong and hot. More than it had when had arrived her first, more than it had when he had been in pain. It was a sign; a heat that Takuya shouldn´t have endured before. He was getting close to paying the price.

No, he was already starting to pay it. It had begun already, even if unconsciously to him and his Spirits. Swallowing he punched whatever worries and uncertainties he had about that matter back to where they came from.

_The price._

Not yet. It wasn´t even sure he had to pay it. Maybe he wouldn´t need to. Or at least not yet.

Wrong.

He would pay it. Takuya himself, Agnimon, Vitramon even Koichi, Lowemon and KaiserLeomon knew it. He was going to pay it. Earlier than needed too, perhaps.

He sighed.

Takuya ripped a piece that was already red with his bold of his jacked and absentminded cleaned a few of his scratches while watching how his friends were getting more and more pushed back. Imperialdramon, WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon kept Digimon from attacking from above, kicking, punching and scrambling them to either side with powerful attacks. The side lines were more or less kept in place by HolyAngemon´s Heaven´s Gate; sucking Darkness types out of the enemy´s lines like a magnet. Apparently they had no problem whatsoever killing that type, Takuya thought dryly.

But looking at the bigger picture of the battle, they were terribly lucky, that this Dimension didn´t have too many mega level Digimon outside of the DigiDestined. Really.

Absorbed in his surroundings and the already shaking ground, Takuya didn´t notice cracks forming beneath his feet.

* * *

><p>-meanwhile-<p>

He cowered in the snow at the roots of the trees, hiding from sight. Trees that were so huge they put skyscrapers to shame. The roots themselves were as huge as Koichi and he might not even need to be closer to the snow then it was comfortable to not be seen, but better save then sorry. They didn´t know from where the army –and hopefully the fortress- would arrive, so being extra cautious was a given.

Koichi hoped so dearly for the fortress to come. His worry was slowly nagging his last threads of rationality away. That was not good. Even more so to him than to Takuya. And Takuya was already bad enough.

It was just that Takuya didn´t have the danger of losing his balance. Being Darkness meant involuntarily that he was walking on a very thin rope; the abyss to both sides was Duskmon. Losing his rationality was equivalent to summoning him. Though, at the moment the danger wasn´t huge; as long as Takuya´s fire was not losing its characteristic.

In a way it was really a good thing that Takuya was the one not captured. Other than him only Koji had the ability to influence the direction neutral Darkness was walking.

Koichi put a hand on the white ground to support his weight. He, Cody and Armadimon had been waiting in the forest on the snow covered ground for a few minutes already and his legs were protesting against kneeling for too long.

He guessed the other group would arrive by the supposed-to-help Digimon soon. The coldness of snow was cooling through his shoes and now with the added heat loss from his fingertips he started freezing.

Koichi couldn´t help but smile mentally; not bothering to let his face mirror his emotions, though. Tommy would think of this place as close to paradise as possible. He loved the cold. In the past years Koichi and the others had a lot of fun watching Tommy shock his family by walking in the snow with nothing but summer clothes.

Not that his mother let him; it was just that Tommy would get rid of the unneeded jackets and scarfs as soon as he left his mother´s line of sight. The problem was just that sometimes he forgot to wear them again when going home. Of course they had been lectured by Mrs. Himi as well, but it had still been fun to watch Tommy´s obvious annoyance. It could not get too cold for him after all. Same way it couldn´t get too hot for Takuya.

They all had been marked by their elements; influencing them just through their presence. The one time with Takuya and candles…This time Koichi let a faint smile to his lips.

Koichi suppressed a shudder. He was freezing more and more by the second. Koichi glanced to his companions and met a pair of eyes.

Koichi had felt the sometimes questioning, confused or rejecting looks the younger boy passed him from time to time. It was like Cody couldn´t decide what to feel about him.

Cody averted his eyes startled; this was the first time Koichi had met one of his glances. Koichi took Cody´s uncomfortable shifting under his eyes in; the snow creaked with his movements, appearing unnaturally loud to Koichi in the otherwise deadly silent forest. All free Digimon had long but fled to cities where they could easier protect each other or be protected by the Digidestined. Koichi inspected the sky. So far it was all clear. Not one Digimon in sight. It was eerie. They were likely the only living beings besides trees and plants in miles.

He checked his watch. If everything was supposed to go to plan the army had to appear soon…

A shadow blocked the high sun. Koichi looked around from ticking the seconds only to find that the entire forest was over shadowed. Loud roars and yells disturbed the silence and made snow fall from the tree tops. Instinctively Koichi jerked closer to the tree´s roots. Panicking, he quickly checked the forest again for movement.

Still nothing. He calmed down a bit and looked at the sky. He already had a good idea knew what he would see, though. Blocking sunlight a giant army filled the sky. Not one sunray reaching down to them.

He swallowed. From his limited view he could still easily see that it were far more Digimon than the last time. So many more had been forced into submission. He locked eyes with Cody who was hiding next to him, Armadimon at his feet. Koichi opened his mouth but forgot what he wanted to say when the ground shock violently.

Koichi didn´t know what it felt like to have a horde of elephants trample the ground, but he was sure that it couldn´t be any different from this feeling. His knees were shaking and he could hardly maintain his balance. More snow from the tree fell on him and sent a chill down his spine. Koichi didn´t feel it.  
>Fearfully he was staring at the direction they had come from.<p>

Koichi pushed the darkness inside him deeper, hoping not to be noticed by the Darkness or Light types. With the trees blocking his sight he couldn´t see far, but he still couldn´t oversee hundreds, maybe thousands backs of retreating Digimon, who had just appeared out of nothing and were running –some on two, some on four, and some on even more legs- the direction Cody and Koichi had come from. Towards the other group. With dread he realized that the army had literally appeared out of nowhere in full force.

Shortly after they had appeared they were gone from sight again, disappearing between thick tree trunks. To Koichi it felt like it took eternity to snap out of his shock, but he knew hardly a few seconds could have passed. He released his brath that he had been holding unconsciously. The ground was still vibrating with the same intensity it had before.

Despite the cold Koichi had to swipe sweat from his face, but he didn´t let the Darkness fill out his being again. There was no way he could risk a possibility of discovery. Even the other group had no choice but to run in in face of those numbers. Koichi and Cody would get killed or captured within a heartbeat.

He turned to Cody, who was staring at the direction the Digimon had disappeared to with a mix of fear and hate. Armadimon was the same. But they weren´t still shocked. Behind those eyes he saw how Cody formed a resolve stronger than ever to win.

It was Cody who broke the silence with a whisper. "We better get going."

Koichi nodded and watched Armadimon Armor evolve to Digmon; no one felling the need to point out that with every second they wasted the others would come closer to inevitable defeat with giants steps.

Digmon wasn´t one of the biggest Digimon and because of his size he had trouble to carry both Cody and Koichi without being unable to use his drills; they were needed to hopefully drill a hole into the black fortress. But he managed to hold both with one arm, so that he had the other left for attacks.

Digmon carefully left the ground, staying as close to trees as possible for cover and distraction. The clouds of Digimon had moved ahead, Koichi observed. Moving in the same direction as the ones on the ground. The sky would be blue again if it wasn´t for a gigantic black object floating above them. Koichi could hardly believe they were so lucky. Not only was the fortress here, but it was also completely unguarded following the avalanche of an army. It was, Koichi realized, arrogance. The believe that they we undefeatable, invulnerable, too overwhelming for anyone to try and challenge them.

Digmon had reached the top of the tree and touched down on a thick branch. Now they were hardly covered at all and it was thanks to the army and the fortress passing them that they were not discovered yet.

The sun was blinding when it finally shone down again, making Koichi lift his arm to block it and continue to observe their surroundings. They were in the back of the army and the fortress, which appeared awfully close to Koichi, but he knew it was just trick of his mind. The black vertical hourglass just seemed close because of it unbelievable size. Koichi seriously doubted that it was possible to cover any useful ground inside of it within half an hour, which- seeing explosions and raining Digimon a few miles away- has started already.

Higher than the trees now, Digmon hurried to close in on the fortresses underside, to quickly leave open space.

Attacks and Digimon were falling like a waterfall on the frontline. But Koichi steered his thoughts and eyes in a different direction. It was his duty to save as it was Takuya´s and the other´s to survive.

The cold wind cut his skin, but Koichi tried not to feel it. If this bit could hurt him he would never be able to stand the process of paying the price. And really, Koichi forgot his pain more and more as Digmon got closer to the black flying mass. The closer they got, the more Koichi had to focus on really seeing black and not energies of his friends; making the fortress shine like a rainbow, which was just plain wrong.

Koichi pressed his own Darkness deeper inside himself as it was pulled towards energies so similar to his own. Not out of Lowemon´s own will, it was like a magnet, pulling all Spirits inside. Despite the uncomfortable feeling of not being complete without KaiserLeomon, Koichi found that he was relieved to have left him with Takuya. Koichi didn´t know what would happen to him it the magnetic power was doubled.

Next to him Cody was shaking from the cold as he looked towards the battlefield. Usually Cody didn´t show many of his emotions, in a way he was similar to Koichi in that part, but now his lips were pressed in a tight line and his eyes had a dark expression. He would have liked to say something to ease the younger one´s worries seeing how Digmon was too busy flying fast and save to notice his partner´s worries, but he could hardly keep his own mind of possible disasters so Koichi just looked back at the hateful mass above him and estimated how long it would take to arrive.

The trees were deep below them now, normally Koichi would have been twitchy, but now he had no mind left to feel like that. It had taken about 30sekonds to cover about halve the distance. It took too long. They were risking discovery with each passing one. Surely with one more Digimon or a different Digimon in the first place they could be much faster, but Digmon and Cody had been chosen for a reason, Koichi remembered. Digmon was the only Digimon that could actually dig and apparently both had experience with infiltration.

And one Digimon more would have been too suspicious. Sadly neither Lowemon nor KaiserLeomon could fly, either. His argument with Takuya pointed that out rather clearly. Takuya had wanted to go. Not only because of Vitramon´s wings, which were likely not even qualified to be an argument considering the process of paying the price, but also because he, as the leader, felt responsible for the others and guilty– or at least that´s what Koichi suspects - because he had been out for two weeks and allowed the others to be captured. Of course that was nonsense. But it was Takuya, he doesn´t accept reason.

In the end it had been decided that Koichi should go infiltrate; because his element was less likely to be targeted, because his connection to Koji might come in handy and because of Darkness´s characteristics.

Takuya had not been happy.

* * *

><p>Coming.<p>

Something was coming.

Again.

She had to wait. She mustn´t give up as long as she still knew that. No matter how much she was on fire, no matter how much she felt dried out, no matter how much she didn´t know what she was.

* * *

><p>It was the same.<p>

The same presence he knew. ..

The one he had wanted to see again.

Now, he knew, he wouldn't vanish into nothingness. There was something that kept him here. So why couldn´t he move and go to it? He was sure there was the light. He had to move.

* * *

><p>There was it again.<p>

Different this time and yet the same.

He wondered what it was. How it was so strong compared to him and everything else. How it could be strong despite so much pain.

* * *

><p>What was this?<p>

Something inside of him, that made him want to move.

He knew it, but he didn´t know it. It had been there before…

A word formed and he knew what it was.

Restlessness.

He wanted to move and be as strong as the presence he felt.

* * *

><p>"Gold Rush!"<p>

Digmon´s one- armed attack ripped a hole into the black material without any problem. The underside wall had been about 3 inched thick. Hardly a challenge and as Digmon flew through the hole Koichi couldn´t help but think that the floor wouldn´t be able to support a Digimon any heavier than Digmon.

Koichi couldn´t believe how easy it was to get close and to enter. Whoever pulled the strings was far too arrogant or stupid to lead an army of this size. Koichi pulled out his D-terminal and it imideatly started transmitting every bit of information it could pick up.

"That was easy." Cody whispered as Digmon set them down to a black tiled floor few feet away from the small entrance they had created. "What way now?"

"Not sure." Koichi answered. They were in a long corridor. The walls and the celling were tiled the same smooth stones that covered the floor. Every once in a while a torch on a wall lit the corridor up, making the tiles gleam with dancing dim light. There were no windows and it was square. It looked, noticed Koichi, similar to Dungeons in video games.

He looked around. Luckily there was no patrol or guard that could alert or attack them. But Koichi noticed otherwise also nothing; no special pull or sign hinting in which direction they should go; the corridor was pulsing with the Spirit´s energy as it was, too overwhelming to find out where it came from.

The stone was warm under his touch and with a bit pressure the tiles were turning soft. The presence of his friend´s Spirits was so strong he almost pulled back from the contact. It was as if the fortress had absorbed them. Koichi suppressed a wave of anger and focused on his contact with the wall. The contact was really repulsive. Like he was invading personal space.

"I don´t know." He finally said, looking at Cody. "This place is full of my friend´s energies. They could be anywhere." Cody didn´t say anything more and for that Koichi was grateful. If anything, he was dead weight like this.

"So what now?" Digmon asked with his strange accent.

"We have to move." Glancing around Cody decided to take the rout that was most likely to lead deeper into the fortress. "We are luck they haven´t heard all the rucks we made by coming here."

"Sorry." Digmon said to his partner.

"Not your fault, Digmon." As fast as possible without making any serious noises Cody lead the way down the corridor; walls creating a strange echo of their steps that seemed to resound much longer than it should. Koichi blamed it on his nerves which were making every second turn into a minute.

* * *

><p>It sure was nice writing Takuya again. A healthy amount of sarcasm can´t hurt. :)<p>

Seeing this stories name, i surely could have chosen a better one, but that wasn´t on my mind back then. Same for the chapter titles. Even though i really want to change the name i decided against it. It would be too confusing. Maybe you noticed, but a least i changed each chapters title, so don´t be surprised.

Again please review.


	13. Prisons

Chapter 12 : Prisons

Matadrumon =Matadormon

Shisamon=Seasarmon

Nohemon= Nohemon

* * *

><p>Closely pressed to the hard, rocky walls Cody glanced around a corner, Armadimon trailing carefully around his feet. Koichi stood behind him, and waited for his decision.<p>

After following the corridor they had reached a cross way and now Cody had to decide which way to go, since Koichi apparently couldn´t feel his friends.

The corridors still looked exactly the same since they had entered.  
>Following the current path ahead they were going to run into a dead-end. The way continued for a short while before stopping at a black wall. Even from where Cody stood now, he could see that there were no corners for the way to continue. Why a dead-end had been built into a huge fortress like this was beyond Cody. Not that he wanted to understand what was going on inside the head of this place´s mastermind.<p>

Following the way to his left, Cody could already spot another next cross-way. To his right the way continued around a curve after a while. Cody had no idea which way was better, but he chose to try his left. Maybe they could spot something from there.

Cody took a first step, but was jerked back immediately with a hand covering his mouth. In a panic attack he was about to strike whoever held him back.

"Shhh!" He recognized the voice as Koichi´s and Cody relaxed a bit. But he remained prepared to strike. Cody still didn´t trust Koichi unlike Davis or Ken. Koichi removed his hand and gestured to be quiet. His primarily confusion was quickly replaced with dread and appreciation.

Steps sounded quietly through the corridors. 1..2..3…4…more than 6 at least, he guessed. Pressed against the wall Cody waited and tried to determine from which direction the echo came. The owners of the steps were still far away, but if Cody and Koichi were able to hear their steps, the same thing must true for the other way around.

He looked at Koichi; signaling him that he understood the situation, but Koichi didn´t meet his glance. Instead he starred with widening eyes ahead. Cody followed, but only saw the dead-end.

"What is a dead-end doing in a fortress like this?" Koichi whispered to him with an emotion Cody couldn´t identify.

Before he could reply, Koichi glanced around the corner, behind them and, to Cody´s shock, tiptoed fast to the dead-end.

"What are you doing?" He hissed to the elder boy as soon as he had caught up; Armadimon in his arms. Armadimon wasn´t good at moving quickly and quietly. Koichi was searching the wall fanatically, gliding with his hands over the rough material and….pressing it a bit down under his hands?

Not sure Koichi had heard his question Cody opened his mouth to repeat it, when he was cut off by an eager sounding Koichi.

"There should be no dead end. No matter who built this place. A dead-end like this is a waste of space." Koichi whispered, not looking at Cody. He inspected a torch. Lifted it from its holder and inspected the place it had hung from before.

"What is he talking about?" Armadimon inquired from his arms.

"A hidden door." Cody answered, having understood Koichi´s point, "but we can´t waste time like this." Cody set Armadimon down and glanced back down the different corridors. The steps have become more and more pronounced. Cody sincerely hoped they were heading towards the entrance they had crated few minutes back, preferably through another route than they had come from.

If they waited till the patrols past by them, they could sneak out behind them and walk the way the troup came from. There was bound to be something.

"Help me search. Will be found out otherwise." Koichi said, finally having finished one side of the corridor and now proceeding to the back wall.

"We don´t even know if here really is one or where it –"Cody stated, getting annoyed with his partner on this stupid mission.

"I know!" He hissed back impatiently, "but we don´t have a choice! Troops are coming from all directions. If we don´t find this, we will be caught."

"How do you know where they come from?" Cody asked startled. The steps were loud enough to make him raise his voice above whispering. Koichi still didn´t face him and continued to press his hands on every tile and trace the connections.

"You can hear them, can´t you? And look where we came from. I can you see the little light point down the corridor? That wasn´t there earlier." How Koichi had managed to notice all that when Cody hadn´t noticed Koichi taking his eyes of the wall even once while he had looked at him was a mystery to him, but Cody obeyed none the less. It wasn´t as if he had looked only at Koichi this whole time and maybe it had something to do with his Spirits. Darkness is ought to be happy in this creepy corridors.

Cody followed Koichi´s example and lifted the second of the two only torches of its holder and used its light to inspect the rough tiles. He pressed with all of his strength against each and every one, but they didn´t budge. Let alone activating any mechanism, he couldn´t even make them budge the way Koichi did. Again, he didn´t want to know, how much power he had in a single hand. But Cody couldn´t help thinking about it none the less and somehow the presence of the older boy near him was almost scarier than an unknown number of Digimon closing in on them.

"Here is a hole." Armadimon said sniffling in a corner. Koichi was immediately down by his side and inspecting whatever Armadimon had found. Cody scrambled over near panic mode. He didn´t dare to turn around, but he could already hear yelling and cursing.

"Give me that!" Koichi ripped the torch from his hands and slammed it in the second corner on ground level of the back wall.

Nothing happened and slower than good the realization dawned on him that they would have to fight. Just as he finished that thought, Cody noticed that something was happening after all. The wall quietly and slowly phased out of existence and back again, allowing them to see that the dead-end actually continued for another few yards before giving way to a bigger space, but Cody couldn´t make out any more than that.

As the wall once again disappeared, Cody -carrying Armadimon again- and Koichi quickly stepped through. Just in time as well. Turning around, to face the reappearing wall Cody noticed that both torches down in the corners had disappeared far faster than it would happen from simply burning down. With delayed shock he realized that they had used the last time the wall would disappear with the two torches they had as keys. Not only that, a Matadrumon had led a troop of Shisamon and Nohemon to them. He wondered why the Nohemon hadn´t shot any arrows they definitely had been in reach, but then he remembered that he had a Spirit holder next to him. If anything, Koichi was wanted alive.

His blood froze and he had to forcefully calm his mind down, by reminding himself it was over. Cody had been as good as dead just now. Saved by circumstances.

"That was close", Koichi panted, and for the first time Cody felt some kind of connection to the boy next to him. They were in this together. Not cooperating meant death. Not looking out for each other meant death. Not _trusting_ each other meant death.

Cody swallowed. Looking at the elder Digidestined, steading himself against the wall and calming his breath with shaking hands, he couldn´t help but think how irrelevant his problem with the other was. Not to mention that it had almost got them killed.

"We have to keep moving," Cody said as soon as he remembered that only another pair of torches was needed to open the wall again. And in the previous corridors were more than enough. Koichi nodded, standing upright again and slowly setting one foot ahead of another, creeping closer to the room the corridor ended in. Cody did as well, but he couldn´t shake a terrible sense of foreboding.  
>Something was not right.<p>

That thought got stronger with each step he took. Yet, what Cody could see of the room didn´t do anything to give reason to his worries. Cody caught glimpses of what he supposed were pillars. Still too far away to judge how tall, wide or how many there were from inside the corridor, Cody tried to see anything other important. But from the likely only little part of the room he could spot from still pretty deep inside the corridor he only saw walls as black as they were where he was right now.

Moving forward along the wall, Cody felt that slowly tiles were replaced by simple black walls. With his hands and back he scratched along few sticking out rocks. Entering what Cody now noticed was more a hall than a room he heard Koichi gasp next to him.

Only one look told Cody that he had missed something important. Koichi´s eyes were widened in horror, maybe shock. Quickly assuming the worst Cody scanned the hall, but saw nothing too out of the ordinary.

The hall was huge, 50 yards in diameter, Cody guessed. Everything seemed to be round. It didn´t have a celling per say, more of a dome circling upwards from the floor for about 20 or 30 yards. Walls and ground, as well as columns were made of the same black material the way they had just left was. The columns order made a perfect circle, of maybe 20 yards in diameter. Torches hung from the walls, but they alone weren´t enough to allow Cody to spot all those details. One of the 10 pillars glowed in a faint, yet strong white. Other than that, Cody noticed nothing extraordinary.

Koichi´s expression had now changed to fear and utter fury, his shaking fists were clenched tightly and he took shallow breathes. It scared Cody.

He froze as he heard a step. Neither of them had moved. Almost not daring to, Cody let his eyes leave Koichi, mentally preparing for something more terrifying.

"Welcome." A terribly high and unpleasant voice said.

* * *

><p>Koichi had never seen the Digimon that had just stepped out from behind of the white column personally before, but he remembered seeing it in Izzy´s analyzer yesterday. Phelesmon. Ultra. Evil Digimon. The one responsible for Takuya´s blackout for two weeks.<p>

Phelsmon put a hand on the white pillar and caressed it with its claws, not taking its eyes of them.

Koichi took a shaky breath in a futile attempt to calm his boiling blood. He didn´t remember ever being that angry. Not with Cherubimon or Icedevimon, not even with Lucemon. Another breath. He couldn´t afford to let his hatred infect his Darkness in a wrong way, but Lowemon was equally furious. The relationship between light and dark had always been special, not just because right now they were twins.

And yet…. Yet this creature had dared to harm him in the unforgivable way.

To top it off not only Koiji, but all the others, too. JP, a bright yellow sparkling pillar, Tommy, ice flowers blooming on the pillars surface, Zoe, invisible wind building a tornado around it, water, a blue and unruly one, wood, brown with wooden patterns, earth, dirty and uneven, finally steel, silvery and smooth. Each pillar channeling the energy into the ship, providing it with power. Feeding of them.

Koichi could feel it a bit. Koij´s emotions. Agony, fear, desperation, hope, pain, confusion, loneliness. He felt his twin´s presence only weakly, by far not as strong as it is supposed to. It was on the verge of disappearing. Dying. Everyone was.

He felt so angry, he couldn´t move. Koichi didn´t trust himself to. Right now he was out for blood. The one´s who was responsible; not held back by his elements neutrality. It was invalid when his light twin´s life was involved.

Paying the price would definitely come.

"Armadimon evolve to….Ankylomon!" Koichi hardly saw Ankylomon attack Phelesmon.

His wrist was grabbed by Cody´s shaking one. He pulled him back in the corridor, or rather tried to. Koichi didn´t move. Couldn´t move. His Darkness was swelling dangerously low beneath his skin. Just one more little push away.

"What are you doing?" Cody hissed and jerked one more time. "We have to get away from here!" Koichi registered the urgency in Cody´s voice, but he couldn´t translate what it meant; too much was his mind occupied with anger. So he only answered to the meaning he had understood. Leave.

"We can´t." Not once did his eyes lose contact with his brother´s pillar. The more he stared at it, the more the facts sank in. Koji, everyone was alive. Alive. He took a still shaky breath.

"We can´t. My brother and everyone are in those pillars."

Cody let go of his hand and entered the hall again. "Then what should we do?" He asked, "Ankylomon alone can´t beat Phelesmon. " Cody took out his D-terminal, glancing at it, he stated, "And back up won´t come for more than 20 minutes."

There was nothing backup could do anyway. Phelesmon had escaped from Imperialdramon. Another ultra could hardly do much.

They had to outsmart him.

"I don´t know", Koichi admitted. "But we have to do something." Koichi watched Phelesmon easily dodge Ankylomon´s attacks. The latter had already few scratches covering his back.

"We will distract him." Cody said, "You go to these pillars. I wouldn´t be much help with that anyway. To me they all look the same. "

Meeting Koichi´s eyes Cody nodded once and then left to get closer to his partner. Koichi still didn´t understand that particular part of the Partner System. The closer the better?

That kind of thought disappeared as soon as it was finished; drowned out by his emotions.

Koichi sneaked along the walls as quietly and fast as he could without catching Phelsmon´s attention; amazed by how stupid and simple this plan was. Though, maybe he didn´t even need to be careful. Phelsmon seemed highly entertained by Ankylomon. Koichi shuddered when he saw it lick its whip. Disgusting. His gaze drifted involuntarily back to his twin, making it so easy to forget to be careful. Koji´s pillar was the closest to him, which was lucky. That way Koichi didn´t have to question whom to save first. Whoever was closest or his brother. Now both titles fell to Koji.

Just a few more steps…

His brothers light was blinding despite its weakness.

Few more…

"Koichi!"

Koichi didn´t have time to look why he was called. Something hard hit him and sent flying across the ground.

Groaning, Koichi lifted his hurting head. Dazed, he hadn´t felt his scratched skin and bruised bones. Almost falling back down into unconsciousness, Koichi saw Cody and Armadimon as a colored blob. What held him awake was that he saw dark boots way to close to on the ground next to him.

"Thought, you were smart?" The owner of the boots taunted. "Just like the other."

Fighting dazzling blackness in his sight Koichi forced his eyes to wander upwards, ignoring the pain and beating headache that came with it. Phelesmon looked down on him with an amused cruel smile on his lips.

"But you are bowing." It stated pleased. "Not that I would ever forgive anything you or that other have done because of it." Koichi briefly wondered, just what Takuya had done to piss it off. He hadn´t heard anything about that.  
>Fighting with his breaking mind and body Koichi tried to stand up; not having more strength, he didn´t strain his mind by wondering what had happened to Cody and Armadymon.<p>

Phelsmon kicked him and Koichi crashed against the next wall. He felt his senses leave him, but he didn´t pass out. Too much was happening inside his head to rest peacefully in his own Darkness. His head felt overloaded; coming closer to exploding every heartbeat. The presences around him were in turmoil filling his head and erasing every thought as soon as it formed.

Now that his head was empty from his own thoughts, Koichi felt his friends' emotions so clearly. It was them who prevented him from passing out. But Koichi didn´t have energy to move. And likely neither a body still capable of it.

He felt a hand close around his throat. Something lifted him up, held him in the air above the ground, painfully cutting of his air supply.

"So much easier." Phelesmon mused, but Koichi couldn´t comprehend the meaning of its words. Everything hurt too much. His legs touched the ground as Koichi was dragged across the hall, but he didn´t feel it. Koichi wasn´t sure it was his body that was pulled; he saw many things overlapping. Himself being dragged from many different prespectives, Cody lying on the ground next to Armadimon trying to get up. "Other than the other brat, there is no way any of these things could have reclaimed their Spirits…."

Everything was getting blurry to him. Darkness filled every cell of his body, clearing his mind painfully empty of everything. Koichi couldn´t see anymore. He felt passing something. "There was no need to go complicated. We could have been done weeks ago."

Whatever it was made Koichi move. Slowly, with each muscle burning he lifted a hand to the iron claw around his neck. The claw didn´t budge. With every piece of strength he had, Koichi tried. It was no good.

A new wave of pain hit him when he was slammed against a new wall. This wall was cold. Deadly so. Even though his body was on fire he felt the cold. And it hurt. Almost more that the fire devouring him from the inside out.

"Hurt each other to death." Something said, the voice pounding painfully in his head.  
>Phelsmon.<br>Right.  
>He couldn´t loose.<br>It took a while for Koichi to realize that wasn´t his thought. It just came to him. But it was true. In an overwhelming sense, he felt that one sentence to be the truth of the universe.

Koichi felt his body burn more. And this time he fueled it; raising the torturous pain till just beneath his skin. His blood ran in hellish circles of freezing and boiling. It hurt, but he couldn´t scream; no air in his lungs and no knowledge how to form words. Pinned against Ice´s pillar which froze him from behind by no choice of its own, Koichi heard it.

_Don´t give up... _

Now he couldn´t lose anymore, but Koichi wondered if he would survive it none the less.

The looming Darkness in his skin ripped him apart cell from cell, invaded his mind. Burning and freezing at the same time, erasing everything but the sensation of pain and coming change. Clouding his sight, his senses and his body with pain Darkness roamed free; slowly changing him along; into the true and only Darkness.

And he slipped away. Away from the cruel claw. Unbelievable coldness surrounded him; making Koichi feel it despite being on the edge of his sanity and consciousness.  
>Then his back connected with something solid. Something, that Koichi knew to be the source of the ice that had and was still hurting him along with his own Darkness.<p>

Koichi was pressing against it with no more strength than a slight touch and yet it gave in as easily as had it been floating in midair and started drifting in the same direction Koichi was still stumbling and falling.

Just as suddenly as he had slipped out of the claws hold Koichi left the infinite coldness behind. Falling to the ground, panting heavily with almost no control over his body or senses Koichi realized he had fallen backwards, passed right through the pillar Phelesmon had chocked him against as if it was nothing more than an illusion.

Ice´s pillar.

Tommy´s pillar.

He had taken Tommy out of it. Darkness´ characteristics. Koichi wanted to smile. Saved Tommy. He could still save more. Koji.

But he had no time to even breath to the boy who was looking at him with confusion and fear, for he collapsed screaming from pain as Darkness clawed his body apart and slowly, ever so slowly took something away, that would never return.

Darkness drowned the fire inside him, Darkness filled his every being, Darkness hurt beyond believe.

* * *

><p>Readying his arm, Imperialdramon charged energy in the canon. He carefully adjusted the power level and density of the beam. Anything too much and all the Digimon would die. Not to mention that the canyon would collapse.<p>

"Positron Laser!" Digimon hurried out of the destructive attack's path, but because they were so many, not all made it. Imperialdramon hit an Icedevimon and two Giromon. Hurt, and no longer able to fly the three fell. As they came close to him he kicked and punched them to either side, away from his friends on the ground.

The space emptied from his attack was quickly filled again with Digimon swarming towards him, forcing him to retreat lower. Imperiladramon readied his canon, charged and shot. Repeating the same process over and over. Each time he got more tired. Each time he got more scratches and wounds; he had neither time nor space to evade any attack. And if he did the attack would hit his partners below. One deep scratch had cut his left wing half way through. A part of his face mask had been cut. And he didn´t feel his right arm anymore.

Wargreymon and MetalGarurumon were doing the same as him. Shooting, hitting, retreating, shooting…

Wargreymon´s Brave Shield was cracked and a corner was missing. Both his claws were dripping with blood. Whose that was, Imerialdramon didn´t know. One of his horns and spikes on his shoulders were missing. The armor on both his arms was scratched and partly destroyed.

MetalGarurumon didn´t look any better. His entire body was cut up with armor breaking and he had a hard time keeping his balance in the air; one of his metal wings had been damaged. Moreover his munitions were running out.

Hopefully the others were making an escape plan, but he didn´t know. No matter what happened below them, Imperialdramon didn´t know. He had no time to spare to even steal a glance down.

* * *

><p>Awkward. That´s the best word to describe the current situation. Kari was overly aware of the boy standing near her. A boy who was so similar to Tai and yet had this huge difference in attitude. Kari didn´t know what to think. Tai had dismissed the matter for later, but right now, standing next to him, Kari couldn´t help but think about it.<p>

Killing.

Killing Digimon. She understood his argumentation, but in no way would she ever be able to think the same. Every life is precious. So how come Takuya had so little respect for it?  
>She watched the battle field. Lilimon and Zudomon were doing their best, but Lilimon´s purifying magic had no effect and attack was all that was left. But even then they didn't kill. How come Takuya could not see how important that was. What could make them have such a huge disagreement? Kari glanced back to Takuya, hoping that one look could answer her questions.<p>

He was just simply standing there, watching the battle and cleaning a few of his cuts with a red piece of his jacked, but Kari could tell that in reality he saw something different. Pain and worry flashed across his face and Kari quickly averted her eyes, starring at cracking ground to his feet. Seeing insecurity on somebody like Tai just seemed wrong. She didn´t know her brother or even Davis to show these emotions.

Wait a minute. Cracking ground?

The ground was really breaking under his feet. Kari quickly scanned where she and Angewomon stood. Nothing. Back by him, the cracks got bigger. No way. Again?

"Takuya!" She yelled. He was too far away for her to do anything else. Why had she moved away from him? She was supposed to protect him. With her yell she got the attention of everyone present. Takuya, too looked at her confused. "Underground!" Cracks have spread and part was already falling down.

He reacted immediately; jumping backwards, dropping his blood soaked piece of jacked in exchange for clenching his fists and landing in a striking position. But he was too late.

So fast, that Kari couldn´t identify what it was; something shot from the small hole upwards and tangled itself around Takuya´s wrist. He, in turn grabbed it with his other hand and pulled, decreasing the pull to his other hand and increasing the pressure to whoever held the other end of the red string. Kari saw Angewomon pull the string of her bow and felt her charging a bow with deadly light and electricity.

Maybe Kari should have been worried or afraid, but she wasn´t. Looking at Takuya, seeing the dangerous glimmer in his eyes, his already burning fists, she felt that there was no reason to worry about him.

* * *

><p>"<em>Are you really alright with this?"<em>

"_No, I´m not, and will never be. That´s why I choose now."_

Takuya didn´t receive an answer. Instead he felt how Agnimon´s flame and his fire were growing stronger and closer.

Two flames becoming one.

Takuya let his fire spread, starting from his fist and cheeks over his arms, covering his legs and setting the familiar whip on fire.

Takuya didn´t feel it. No fire could ever burn him. ON the contrary it was pleasant to be engulfed by his element. He felt invincible, like nothing could ever penetrate his fiery skin. Of course that was only a feeling, but it didn´t stop Takuya from enjoying it.

Still, he held his flames at bay, not allowing them to burn deeper in his skin just yet.

With a strong pull, that surpasses the strength a human should possess he forced Phelesmon out of the ground. Strangely it was dripping wet. Apparently there was an underground river or lake or whatsoever.

Angewomon behind Phelesmon had her arrow ready to shoot. She didn´t, though. Maybe because she would hit Takuya if she missed or maybe because she couldn´t decide, if to aim for the kill or not. That was just fine with him. He had a lot to pay back.

"You haven´t gotten any more beautiful." Takuya remarked. There was little distance between the two; it was enough for either retreat or attack though. For battle it was perfect.  
>There was just the little problem that Takuya was not ready for battle yet. He was still human.<p>

To his surprise Phelesmon completely ignored Takuya´s comment. He just quickly checked what the other Digidestined were doing before retuning his attention to Takuya.

"You have caused us a lot of trouble." Phelesmon said with that voice that sent a chill down Takuya´s spine.

"It´s what I do, you damn clown." Phelesmon´s eyes flashed dangerously. Behind it Angewomon aimed carefully. Takuya sure hoped she wouldn´t miss. That arrow looked dangerous.

Just as she released the string Phelsemon jumped forward. With a outstretched hand aiming for Takuya. But Takuya had waited for that. Phelesmon had already seen Angewomon aim at him, so there was no way he would simply wait to be hit. Moreover the easiest way to avoid getting hit was to have a hostage. Namely Takuya, who was not only closest, but also the target from the very beginning. Takuya had waited for movement and now it came. He jumped backwards with inhuman speed.

Still it wasn´t enough. Phelesmon was faster and closed the distance between them fast. He aimed for his throat. Takuya caught the reaching claw with his burning hands. He made contact with the ground again and Takuya steadied himself, still holding the claw. Takuya noticed with stratification that Phelesmon had not expected to find himself engaged in a strength contest. With a human no less.

Sadly, though, Takuya remembered that both his hands were immobile, while Phelesmon still had one. And it was just a matter of time until said Digimon remembered that.

Before did Takuya decided to surprise it a bit more.

"Spirit Evolution!" He breathed through clenched teeth.

Oh yeah. The face was priceless.

He let every mental barrier collapse, allowing his fire to burn stronger and fiercer. Allowing his flames to devour his body and something really precious in exchange for strength.

"_I´m sorry about the price."_

* * *

><p>I think this is quite a cliffhanger. :)<p>

To be perfectly honest writing about Cody and Koichi on the inside is not as much fun as telling what happens outside. Hope it doesn´t appear in my

Please comment and criticize again. And thanks for the reviews.

21.1.12

I´ve edited the part where Koichi escaped Phelesmon and pushed Tommy out of the pillar more by accident than anything else, because i think it wasn´t clear enough how it happened.

More explanations to that will come in the next chapters anyway, though.


	14. Paying the Price

**Chapter 13: Paying the price**

* * *

><p>Burning Salamander = Pyro Punch<p>

Fire Darts = Pyro Darts

Salamander Break = Pyro Tornado

* * *

><p>-Yesterday at Izzy´s-<p>

"_What are you hiding? Don´t try to fool me. You know it won´t work.__" _

_Normally there was no need to specifically voice thoughts in words. Emotions and thoughts usually drifted from one consciousness to the other as freely as a cloud in the sky. It made lying impossible, but right now Takuya did actually ask. That way he put more pressure on Agnimon._

_In his mind it was black. It looked like he had just closed his eyes, which he actually did, but compared to just that inside his mind Takuya was not limited. He had no body or even the desire to move. Inside his mind was only a place to interact with his Spirits and the place where they usually were. Drifting around in blackness and watching, through his eyes. Something like a sub consciousness. _

_What he received as an answer was a feeling of regret, stubbornness and apology from Agnmon. Vitramon only showed passive interest. The message was clear: You deal with that between you two, I see no need to interfere. _

_It only confused Takuya more._

_In answer to his confusion Agnimon spoke: "Just forget about it." _

_It was half heartly. And all three of them knew that. _

_Between the three of them there was hardly any difference; they reacted to most situations the same way. Only that Vitramon was a beast; he didn´t concern himself with little, unimportant or not-his-business situations. Agnimon was more human in that aspect and was heavily influenced by his emotions. Takuya was almost completely the same as Agnimon, only he was more open-minded and easily made friends with everyone, whereas Agnimon and Vitramon didn´t trust easily or associated with people they didn´t see worthy. That part was a warrior thing. _

"_You know I won´t." _

_He was answered with a wave of stubbornness and worry. It startled Takuya a bit. The worry was directed towards him, not their friends. _

"_We have to get them out. No matter the price. I know you think so, too."_

_To his surprise he was met with more stubbornness and disagreement. Takuya grew frustrated. He knew Agnimon thought the same. Yet he didn´t. And it wasn´t a lie. In their mind they couldn't lie. _

"_What´s your problem? Are you saying we should let them die?" _

"_Of course not!" _

"_Then what!" Somehow Takuya knew now what it felt like to be his enemy. Stubbornness was so damn annoying. "If there is a way to fight then tell me!"_

"_I won´t!" Agnimon yelled back, and Takuya felt his frustration mirrored by him. In a way it was ironic. Both stressed by the others thick head. "We don´t know if it is possible anyway!"_

_Again Takuya was confused. What was possible? "Tell me." He demanded._

_He received neither an answer nor the intent to do so in the first place. _

"_Why not? Whatever it is that makes _you_ worry, it is also my business. As long you two are inside me, everything is _our _problem. Not mine, or yours alone." _

_Agnimon faltered a bit, seeing that Takuya knew he had hit a sore spot, but it didn´t last for long, Agnimon came back full force, even more determined than before. Yet Takuya felt his worry and desperation, his desire to protect. "Exactly." He said, "that´s why I won´t tell you." _

_Takuya´s frustration reached a new level. How could he be so stubborn? _

_Then again he was the same. _

"_This is getting stupid." A wave of annoyance from Vitramon interrupted their discussion with authority. "It is our business, but his decision to pay the price or not."_

_Takuya felt sadness from Agnimon._

"_What price?" He asked carefully listening for any response, however small it be._

_Vitramon ´s interference had dispelled Agnimon´s determination and Takuya was almost overwhelmed by his sadness and guilt. It made Takuya almost regret asking. To be able to sent Agnimon in such an emotional uproar it had to be of unimaginable importance to him. But again it didn´t make anything clearer to Takuya; if it was that important, why was Vitramon showing so little interest? "The price for the ability to evolve without our D-tector."_

_Takuya answered with startled confusion. It was possible?_

_Apparently Vitramon´s point had driven home the fact, that Takuya really had the right to know, because Agnimon answered: "Back then, when we were attacked by Phelesmon in the forest, Vitramon and I noticed. We felt your body was getting ready to change. Our flames and your will were growing too strong for a human body to handle. And we thought, that just maybe we wouldn´t need a D-tector. _

_On the plain when you called us back, both of us managed to appear. Just with a body of flames, but solid none the less. And you made that happen. With your strength alone. _

_We think the D-tector was used to channel your strength and will so that it wouldn´t harm your weak human body. But now we didn´t have it. The result was that we were out for 2 weeks."_

_Takuya let it sink in. So far Agnimon had not given him a good explanation why he hadn´t said anything before. Besides maybe a bit tiredness. _

"_Now this is only out thesis, but we think, that the D-tectors were a device to protect your human cores. It prevented us from merging completely. Sure, we fused, but in the end you were still human. _

_The D-tector protected your humanity and was something like a safety lock. A limit that kept our fusion so basic that you hardly felt any pain during the evolution or different from being human as a Digimon. Do you understand? _

_The pain you felt during Beast- and Fusionevolution was what reached you through a filter provided by Lady Ofanimon. Without that filter you could die from the pain of the evolution."_

_Takuya didn´t think he would. Losing to something simple as pain was _not _in his courses of action. It was hardly a legitimate reason to keep quiet about it. But Agnimon should know that, too. It was hardly an argument for neither of them._

"_But that is not what I worry about. _

_It is that if we evolve without the limit of D-tectors you might never be human again."_

* * *

><p>Agnimon hadn´t been kidding with the pain. Takuya would have screamed had he been able to.<p>

Every cell in his body was burning, a heat too great to be contained in a little cell, like flames licking in his insides. His bones felt hot, unsteady like they were melting.

Takuya dug his nails in Phelesmon´s arm. But he didn´t notice it, didn´t see it, didn´t feel it.

With the very essence of his being he was burning. Just on fire. He forgot he had a body to move, a heart that beat, and lungs to scream.

Takuya never thought, he would know what it was like to be burned alive.

He was losing his mind from all the pain. Fire in each of his cells was growing bigger, too big for a small cell to hold them inside, melting bones were destroying his insides, leaving him with nothing.

While he wanted to just hold himself together, he couldn´t move his limps. Fire was growing more intense, hotter, fierce, more alive. It was ripping him apart. He long forgot how to move, how to touch or feel.

And when Takuya thought it couldn´t hurt more everything exploded. Fire in the cells ripped their walls down, boiling his blood and growing in size. His melting iron-hot bones spread their heat through his body, igniting and destroying everything.

Never had Takuya felt time stretch longer. Never in battle, never in school. No, it was his evolution that was eternity.

When the fire finally cooled down he was no longer Takuya. Opening his eyes, it was Agnimon, the Warrior of Fire, who stared at Phelesmon´s with sky blue eyes.

* * *

><p>Davis wasn´t sure how he hadn´t seen it before. Takuya had said they fused with their Spirits, so what else but Takuya turning into Agnimon himself could he have expexted? Yet he only understood the meaning of Takuya´s words when it was a Digimon that stood in Takuya´s place emerging from an inferno of hot red-orange flames.<p>

Seeing Takuya burn didn´t make him understand, seeing the flames grow in intensity and size didn´t either. Takuya´s form changing didn´t do so either. Only now, when a red humanoid Digimon held Phelesmon´s claw in an iron grip he saw what he meant.

The Digimon that had formerly been Takuya had long straw like blond hair, two horns from his forehead, a face cover only leaving mouth and part of his cheeks unprotected, black and red armor over all of his body, silver gauntlets with three holes each covering the backs of both his humanoid fists and similar three point holes on different places all over the armor. Sparks and small flames were licking out from his armor's joints and gauntlet´s holes.

Warriors. That´s what they had called themselves. To Davis there was no word that fitted better.

The Warrior pulled back a hand, holding Phelesmon in place with the other, flames flowing out from the gauntlet´s holes, dancing around a clenched fist.

* * *

><p>"Burning Salamanda!"<p>

Agnimon´s punch sent Phelesmon flying back towards Angewomon. With her target getting closer and danger of missing decreasing she released her arrow´s string; shooting the Darkness Digimon with a white arrow, crackling with energy. Phelesmon, feeling the dread of light quickly dug his claws into the ground, leaving a long trail of marks in the solid stone. It whirled around just in time to see and push its head out of the way. While it barely managed to evade the arrow, a flaming kick to its torso caught it off guard again, this time crashing Phelesmon in the canyon´s wall, causing a big boulder from above to break off and fall down on the hole to the underwater reservoir.

Angewomon shot more arrows in quick succession, all aimed at vitals of the quickly recovering Digimon. Only one hit, yet slightly missing the actual aim. Still it impaled it´s shoulder. Phelesmon had dropped to the floor to evade Angewomon´s arrows and now quickly scrambled back on its two feet, running along the canyon wall fanatically thinking about the new situation at hand.

The tables had turned. The target had evolved, it was impossible to capture Fire without more drastic measures and Phelesmon was exposed to the angel´s attack, who was luckily the only one able to pay attention to it.

Realizing Phelesmon was coming dangerously close to the Digidestined Angewomon and Agnimon blocked it´s way with a flying mass of flames and light, igniting ground where nothing burnable was.

Agnimon smiled grimly; his fire didn´t die easily. Having no substance to fuel fire hardly mattered to his flames.

It was good he had thrown Phelesmon with his evolution enough off to make it play passively and be desperate enough to search for another hostage. Not that Agnimon would let it, but it was still good. Agnimon was by far not as fit as he made it appear; pain from his change still lingering in his body.

He moved a step forward, drawing Phelesmon´s attention from the Digidestined back to him. Angewomon charged another arrow to full power, Kari standing behind her and looking fearfully to her brother, who, with his friends, was staring at Agnimon and moving away from Phelesmon. They were all clamping together in a group in middle of the originally protected circle, with Agnimon and Agewomon standing between them and Phelesmon. Izzy typing away on his laptop, Tai and Matt making sure they all were there, Davis staring at Agnimon, Ken watching Phelesmon with narrowed eyes.

Their partner Digimon didn´t notice what had happened behind their backs, too desperate to block all attempts of a breakthrough. It was only a matter of time until they did, though. With them losing ground every second, the circle was getting smaller, and a battle starting behind them was bound to be noticed eventually. And when they did, it would be trouble, with them not having witnessed Takuya´s evolution and Phelesmon´s appearance.

Angewomon held her arrow, ready to release it any second. She was sure Phelesmon would dodge again if she shot it without a diversion. It was surprisingly elusive and agile. Phelesmon stood with its back pressed against the wall and one side blocked by fire against the canyon, facing the Digidestined. Yet the evil in its eyes was terrifying; she had never seen something that evil.

Rocks, increasing from fist to head size were falling down, occasionally hiding Phelesmon from sight. Standing attentively still it pulled Angewomon´s arrow out of its shoulder, spilling violet blood across the ground.

Both sides were unable to act. Agnimon and Angewomon couldn´t attack without risking the Digidestined´s safety, while Phelesmon risked its live with every single movement. However it was clear that it wouldn´t stay that way. Every falling stone posed a chance or a thread to either side. Agnimon raised a flame from his right gauntlet, bringing it up in front of him. Wind blew the flames to the side, yet they appeared solid, not dying or breaking.

"Fire Darts!" Agnimon shot bullets of solid fire on Phelesmon. Fire had never been patient plus, unlike Angewomon, Agnimon ran a much lower risk attacking. He didn´t have a dangerous time gasp between powerful attacks being a close combat Digimon in the first place.

Fire Darts forced Phelesmon to move.

Phelesmon jumped, clinging to the wall, showing an opening with its back to the Digidestined. A beginner´s mistake. Angewomon didn´t miss a beat, aiming to pierce Phelesmon´s heart.

Agnimon didn´t trust his eyes until he saw the arrow connect. In the short exchange he had with it Phelesmon had appeared too strong and experienced to be killed by a short cat and mouse game. Phelesmon´s evil and strength had given Takuya the creeps, forcing him finally to evolve. He couldn't believe he had been so wrong with his feeling, seeing how the arrow hit. Losing its hold, Phelesmon fell down in the fire, burning alive less literally than Agnimon had not even a minute ago.

"Uh…" He said trying to fill the depressed silence that befallen the Digidestined from witnessing the death of yet another Digimon. "That was easy."

Apparently that did the trick. Eleven pairs of eyes shifted their target to him. In all surprise, in some awe, in some curiosity.

"Takuya?" Angewomon asked quickly, before a loud hell could break loose. "Is that you?"

Agnimon smirked, enjoying the stunned faces even though he was slightly uncomfortable with all the gazes. "Not quite. I´m Agnimon actually."

After a second of thinking he added; "Or more precise I´m a fusion of Agnimon´s and Takuya´s personality. And this appearance is a fusion of the Human Fire Spirit and Takuya´s body." They didn´t understand it and Izzy, busy adding Agnimon to his database, wasn´t making an effort to explain even though he knew all that already. After all otherwise Takuya and Koichi could never have managed to convince him of quick acting.

"Not that I mind, but shouldn´t we focus on getting out of here?" It was weird looking down to people he had known so far as being a head taller than him. Agnimon was feeling strangely out of place. With his Warrior comrades it somehow wasn´t like that. Luckily he shifted their attention again.

"Yeah", Davis admitted, "but how? We are completely surrounded. From above, left, right, walls in front and behind us, possible also from underground… And Imprerialdramon can´t change mode down here." Searching for advice he looked at his senior.

"Not to mention, that we are supposed to send backup to Cody and Koichi on the inside of that." Matt added pointing towards a solid black mass that was hardly visible from behind all of the controlled Digimon.

"In 15 minutes." Izzy commented typing, not even looking up.

"And our partners are at their limits." Yolei added.

Tai nodded in acknowledgement. A frown showing he was thinking.

"Izzy, did you finish your analysis of the ground?" Tai inquired of the momentarily black haired genius. His voice was confident and Agnimon noticed everyone´s expression change slightly. They were expecting orders, he noted pleased. Their two groups of Digidestined were functioning on the same principle: follow the leader with confidence and trust no matter how ridiculous the order.

"I did." Izzy even stopped creating a profile of Agnimon to listen better. "There are no Digimon below us. My sensors didn´t pick Phelesmon up, though so I can´t be sure. Otherwise there is a river crossing below this canyon. I think Phelesmon used it to sneak up on us faster than my radars could register."

Tai nodded again. "How long do you think it goes?"

"Not sure. It isn´t listed on any map, so I think it won´t surface and join with another river or flow into the sea underground. Either solution is further away than we could swim."

"How much space is not filled with water?"

"Not much. Why?" Izzy eyed Tai warily, eyebrows knit together. Tai ignored him.

"Takuya", Agnimon looked at him anyway, "Koichi can evolve like you?"

"Yeah?" It came out like a question. Agnimon had a pretty good idea where this was going. He had been thinking along similar lines, and he was sure the others suspected something as well.

"Good. Then sent both of them a message saying that we won´t be able to help for now and that they should act according to their own judgment. Retreat if necessary."

"Are we blowing this off?" Davis asked incredulously, coming to his solution. "After coming so far? You can´t be serious!"

Tai shot him a look and Davis went quiet, swallowing his complains.

"No. We are just adjusting the plan a little." He smirked. "There aren´t any -"

Agnimon painfully hit the ground face first. He felt the hard stone scratch his exposed cheeks. His eyes closed he felt a hand crushing his head harder and harder against the solid rock and a strong headache immediately made him fell dizzy. Agnimon moved his hands only to find out that something nailed his right hand in place and that a something pressed heavily down on his back, holding him to the ground.

Chaos was erupting around him. Agnimon heard vivid curses and Angwomon´s bowstring; he felt her arrow´s energy even.

"Very much Fire´s character." A familiar voice hissed in his ear. Struggling with his thoughts, Agnimon smelled the creature´s foul breath on his face. Disgusting. "But boy, know, that now you can never escape from us."

Struggling against the hold on his head Agnimon twisted his head to the side and forced an eye open.  
>"While I agree that your looks are worth running from, no one would ever run from somebody weaker than a fly." He stared Phelesmon in the eye with every bit of deviance and disgust he could muster. Admittedly not the smartest thing to do when said devil was using his back as a couch for its knee.<p>

Again Agnimon tried to push himself up; this time with more power. Why Angewomon didn´t shoot was a mystery to him, but since she hadn´t shot yet he had to get rid of Phelesmon on his back all by himself. For a second Agnimon considered using his other Spirit – as Vitramon it was pretty much unimportant if somebody was sitting on his back- , but he quickly let the thought drop again. Right now he couldn´t.

So Agnimon channeled his own powers. The fire running through his veins, the flames that made up his entire body. Red hot fire sparked from his armor´s joints, first slowly and few then more. Phelesmon had survived his attack before due to unknown reasons, so Agnimon just hoped that his heat would still hurt it even now. Because there was nothing else Agnimon could do. With each flamelet he got weaker, his body hurt more and his head got heavier.

After a few seconds of trying to endure the fire Agnimon felt Phelesmon loosen its hold on his head and back. But Agnimon didn´t give it time to peacefully get up alone. Agnimon dug his hands in the ground and with an effort pushed himself upward to his legs, like doing a pushup. Still not having left Agnimon´s back far enough, Phelesmon was pushed off balance by his momentum and stumbled a step back. Whatever it had been to hold Agewomon back was gone now as she released another high voltage arrow of Light energy. By now Agnimon wasn´t surprised anymore when Phelesmon dodged an almost point blank attack without as much as a scratch, but at the same time he angled his arms and twisted his body´s upper half, still covered in fire new flames sprouted from his gauntlets anyway. Kicking off the ground with one leg he spun around, adding rotation to his fire and raising it to the size of a small tornado with Agnimon in the twist´s center.

The flaming tornado quickly closed the few feet distance between a still way too lively Phelesmon who had just finished evading Angewomon´s arrow.

"Salamander Break!"

Phelesmon swiftly evaded Agnimon´s roundhouse kick and jumped few feet back again. No emotion betrayed its face. Had it not been for the violet blood dripping to the ground Agnimon wouldn´t believe it really had a shoulder pierced through for it was really far too elusive.

This was getting bad. They had to get out of there, disappear underground before long. There was no time to play with Phelesmon. Not only was Agnimon getting weaker by the second now, the number of stoned falling from the canyon had reached a dangerous amount and size. The canyon floor had to have been at least a foot higher than in had been when they first landed. Not to mention-

"Lilimon!" Someone screeched behind him. Turning to the source of the voice Agnimon found Mimi watching terrified how Lilimon was falling from the wall she had been smashed into and devolving into a small green blob.

Turning had been a mistake. Agnimon had let Phelesmon from his eyes.

And he felt the consequence immediately. A fist rammed in his stomach, cracking his armor.

He caught, collapsing to his knees a lot of vivid curses on his lips. How could he have been so stupid? Black dots appeared in his sight and all his limps got heavy. He heard Kari scream his name, but she sounded so far away even through a little part of his mind told him she was close to him. Something cold creeped from deep inside him to the surface; freezing the liquid fire in his veins to a terrifying cold.

He knew his body was on fire again. Fire burning everything that came to close; unforgiving, free yet cold fire.

He felt his face hit the ground once more, but this time he knew, he wouldn´t get back up.

His eyes only saw black and his insides were hurting not only from the hit he got. Agnimon didn´t know what hurt more. Burning alive in his own flames or his blood and soul freezing colder than ice. Everything was blocked out from his mind; he barley felt the ground shake, didn´t feel heavy rock falling on him, didn´t hear Phelesmon scream in frustration and hate, didn´t feel that someone was holding him close, protecting him from the collapsing canyon as his body underwent the painful transformation from Agnimon to Takuya.

* * *

><p>I´ve been wondering, does 'Digidestined' have a plural? For now it doesn´t in my texts, but if it has, please tell me.<p>

I wrote the battle scene from an independent 3rd point of view. Please let me know if you liked it better than the others and if I should write battle like that or form an inside 3rd point.

And now before you go and call me a sadist or something ( which is only a tiny bit true) i´ll tell you that i got the idea to make the evolutions painful from the anime. Beast and fusion evolution were not very pleasant if the faces and voices are anything to go by.

And i have sad news: I don´t know when i will upload the next chapter. Even though i already have a good idea how to continue this i just can´t get myself to write intelligent sentence down. I´m really sorry about that.

This time the next update won´t be with the next holidays, though. Even though i have my final exam of school in April i plan to make space during my school time and upload few chapters.


	15. Losing something

Chakkumon= Kumamon

Blizzarmon = Korikkakumon

* * *

><p>He didn´t know what had happened to lead to this situation, but Tommy knew he had just been saved by Koichi; just with one look around he knew who the enemy was and who was a friend, but most important of all, he knew who was being kept prisoner inside those pillars. Imprisoned just like he had been seconds before. His friends were captured; not knowing who they were, not know where, not knowing what to do.<p>

Who and why were they doing this to his friends?

Out of habit Tommy reached for his pocked, where his D-tector used to be, only to grasp air. Blizzarmon and Chakkumon were there, though.

Tommy looked for Koichi. Koichi was kneeling on the ground in front of him, panting, covered in wounds with a dark violet mark on his neck and obviously in pain. A lump formed in his throat and his heart clenched together as he watched his friend suffer.

Why?

Koichi met his eyes. Light brown met pale green and Tommy knew. And Blizzarmon and Chakkumon knew.

Lowemon was coming. Was there. Was here. Without a D-tector. It was possible.

Koichi screamed. Tommy could visibly see how he lost all strength and how conciousness left his eyes as they glassed over.

* * *

><p>Koichi didn´t feel the ground press against his cheek, didn´t hear or see Tommy nearby or Phelesmon sent him a less and less amused look. Koichi knew nothing of his surroundings as his body was getting ripped apart by unbearable pain and heat. His very being was falling apart while Koichi´s own Darkness filled and hurt his mind. The Darkness was wide so entirely endless wide while at the same time it was so cramped that Koichi felt himself die by its hand.<p>

This Darkness was foreign to him. Darkness could never hurt him. Not even as Duskmon. Not even when he had been nothing but a muddy and sullen Darkness himself. Never. And yet his own and Lowemon´s Darkness was killing him slowly with its blackness.

On instinct Koichi pressed air out of his lungs to scream only to find out that he had no air to give up. His body was unable to move, do even as much as breath. Not even his own heart had the strength to beat.

It hurt so terribly, his heart and mind, to be killed by himself that Koichi would have liked to give up right there and die. To leave it all behind, to be able to move, to be able to think… just for that Koichi would leave it all, but again he couldn´t. Again he was held behind. He didn´t remember when the last time was that he had been controlled like that, but now it was what kept him alive while his body was dying and changing.

Behind his closed eyelids their color set to a strong brown. His hair swirled by darkness bleached to a yellow blond.

* * *

><p>He felt it. So close.<p>

Everything suddenly made no longer sense. Why was he where he was? Why wasn´t he doing something? Why couldn´t he move no matter how hard he tried? Why did he see himself from outside his own body?

Wrong.

* * *

><p>The moment Koichi had phased away from Phelesmon´s grip through the pillar Cody again realized that he understood something crucial too late. Koichi was not like him. He wasn´t like Armadimon either. Koichi was different from him, he had strength to act. Yet he was still as vulnerable as Cody; wasn´t as robust as Armadimon.<p>

So why? What made them a target? How come they had to be chosen as Warriors? Koichi was not fit for battle. Neither was the boy next to him. They were all too human to fight any Digimon.

So why was Koichi´s body now surrounded by swirling and floating Darkness? Spirits, of course Cody knew, but that was no excuse. To make those, who are unwilling fight; it went against everything that Cody believed in.

Why? Weren´t those Spirits supposed to be their partner?

As he thought, Cody watched Koichi´s body disappear in almost liquid Darkness. The Darkness creped along the floor and seemed to swallow Koichi completely, even the boy next to him had to move back and from his face Cody saw that he was as startled about what was happening as Cody, maybe even more. The boy likely knew nothing about where he was, why, and why his friend was inside a cocoon of Darkness.

He had to get him away from there. Phelesmon was only few steps away and it was getting angrier by the second. It starred with badly concealed confusion and hate at Koichi before its eyes shifted to the boy.

"Can you fight, Armadimon?"

Armadimon stirred and struggled to his feet. Bloody scratches were forming drops that were slowly running down his scales. Cody hated asking this of his partner, when Armadimon could hardly stand, but they had no choice.

"Listen", he whispered, "we need Digmon. While you get Phelesmon´s attention again I´ll try to get Koichi and the boy away from there. You don´t fight", Cody told him, patting his head at the same time. "Just make him think you are. We are going to run."

Armadimon didn´t nod or show any other sign that he had listened to Cody, his eyes were nailed at Phelesmon, but Cody felt Armadimons muscles stiffen under his hand.  
>Fighting a headache as he stood up, Cody pulled out his D-terminal, preparing to evolve his partner.<p>

"Why?"

A clear voice cut the eerie silence which was only disturbed by sick clicks of Phelesmon´s heels. Surprised Cody paused to take in the change of situation. Phelesmon had stopped as well and looked at the boy with something like sadistic amusement and hate.

"Why are you doing this?" The boy asked, with a slightly shaking voice. "Why are you doing this to us?"

The dangerous smile became wider and Cody felt that he would rather stare a dragon in the eye than having that expression aimed at him.

Phelesmon took deliberately slows steps towards Koichi and the boy again. Like a hunter before the final attack it stalked around the two of them. The boy took a step backwards as Phelesmon closed in, but after a fast look to his side, to the dark cocoon he thought better and remained next to where Koichi used to be.

Just as Cody wanted to finally evolve Armadimon Phelesmon chuckled. It was creepy and it felt like the temperature dropped few degrees. "I´m doing this for fun." It informed them. Cody clenched his teeth and could see the boy do the same.

"But why? What do you want with us?"

"Control." Phelesmon said. "With the Spirits and this ship we can control everything." It laughed this time. "And then I won´t have to fear punishment from above anymore when I have fun." It stopped and directed its gaze directly at the boy. "From neither you annoying Chosen Children nor anyone else." It took a huge step directly towards the boy, swinging its hips and scratching along the ground with its heels.

"No matter how much blood I spill."

That was it. Cody didn´t think he had ever felt more disgusted by anything living than by that Digimon.

"Digimental up!"

Phelesmons head swirled to him and the boy, too looked like he had just noticed him for the first time.

"Armadimon, Armor Evolution!" The holy light from Cody´s Digivice and D-Terminal engulfed Armadimon, giving him strength. But Cody knew, it would never be enough to fight head on. "The unbreakable knowledge, Digmon!"

Digmon, just as cut up as Armadimon had been wasted no time with his attack; using the moment of surprise to shoot his drills across the round dome at Phelesmon. Drained of his strengh the attack was sloppy, though. The drills were swaying in midair and some missed Phelesmon by far. Still it was enough; Phelesmon took some hasty steps backwards and be it only of surprise and not because the attack actually presented a danger to it.

Digmon, knowing how desperate they were followed, more stumbling than actually flying to prefect range and shot more of his drills effectively creating a dust screen; making it impossible for either competitor to see the other.

As dust swallowed his partner and the enemy Cody sprinted over to the boy, who was now standing few feet away from the dark cocoon, looking at it with an expression Cody couldn´t quite identify.

"Hey!" Cody called out to him, as he arrived skidding to his knees ready to touch the mysterious mass and carry Koichi, who hopefully was still in there, away. "Help me carry him out of here."

His fingertips just inches away from the dark mass stopped in place when the boy, who Cody suddenly realized appeared to be about his age, grabbed his wrist. The other boy's skin was surprisingly cold.

"You can´t." He pulled Cody quickly away from the Darkness, "if you touch him now, Koichi will die." The boy said with a pained face, his eyes never leaving the Darkness. "But Koichi will be alright. Here the others won´t leave him to die."

Any question died on Cody´s lips when he felt his heart grow cold and his throat dried. Biting back tears and eyes darting around fanatically, Cody found too quickly what he had dreaded.

The dust had started to settle down, but it still lingered few feet above the ground. Yet, it was enough to see what had happened to the battle between Digmon and Phelesmon. Cody´s eyes stung, his fault, because he had been too slow, because it had been his idea to send Digmon to battle again. His fault that a dark, bloody claw had pierced through Digmon; that the claw was sticking out of his partners back.

"No!"

* * *

><p>The boy unfroze with a desperate scream and first walked shakily then ran to the Digmon that was about to die. Tommy spared a last glance to Koichi knowing that there was nothing he could do for him anyway and then ran after the unknown boy.<p>

Tommy still had only a black and white picture of who was evil and who was good, but that was enough. His short exchange with Phelesmon had not helped at all to find a way out of wherever they were or where they were supposed to go. So right now all that Tommy could do was to help save that one Digimon, knowing fully well that Phelesmon at least did not deserve anything like mercy from him.

Phelesmon glanced over Digmon´s shoulder and its expression turned from pissed off to the disgusting sadistic smile. It dropped Digmon in a pool of his own blood and gave its undivided attention to Tommy; not even seeing Cody who was closer. Tommy knew he couldn´t fight -risk changing just yet- but at least he could buy time for Lowemon to finish his evolution. And, if Tommy´s and his Spirits´ guess was right he could follow; after all he hadn´t seen a D-Tector anywhere near Koichi. More importantly, Tommy didn´t fell like he _needed_ one. Chakkumon and Blizzarmon were with him and Tommy could feel their and his own ice coursing through his body.

_Blizzarmon, _Tommy called in his mind and immediately he felt the temperature around him drop.

Cody was only few feet away from Phelesmon when it moved. So fast it almost disappeared from sight. Blizzarmon´s instincts warned him and he immediately stopped running and spend all of his attention instead materializing the coldness in his body. In just the split second that it took Phelesmon to reach him Tommy had covered parts of his skin with fain ice crystals. They couldn´t protect him at all, though.  
>Something connected with Tommy´s shoulder and the next thing Tommy knew he crashed in a wall. But despite the pain from the impact and a dizzy feeling Tommy smirked. No mercy.<p>

Sure enough, just a second later a howl filled the air. Slowly looking up, Tommy saw Phelesmon hold its right hand. And even from the distance he saw a hateful death glare directed at him and an innocent white coloring Phelesmon´s usually black hand.

Tommy´s smirk turned to a smile. It was too late. Phelesmon couldn´t get to him anymore. He felt it. Tommy was going to be protected. The smile didn´t waver when Phelesmon charged at him.

* * *

><p>The more the pain ebbed away, the more it became clear. Koichi had never felt the way he was feeling now. So entirely different. Not human. His being and fusion with his Darkness had reached a new level. And while the feeling was not unpleasant or painful, the second Koichi remembered the price he had to pay for this power, for this change, for this possibility, his still numb emotions froze in the most hurtful ways. So much he could never do again, so many things he could never say. His mother… Koji…<p>

But this body was no longer for his own to use, his mind no longer free to dwell. Because right now he wasn´t Koichi anymore, but Lowemon. Koichi had paid the price for this power to use and now he couldn´t just waste its existence. That was not why he was able to pay.

His finger twitched and Lowemon opened one eye with an effort. He was lying on the soft dark ground, but as far as he could see there was nothing. Only ground and columns and shadows dancing on the wall. There was something else, though; he could feel it more than he could hear it. The muffled noises didn´t make sense to him unlike the felling that there was something that was just wrong in the room.

While trying to push himself of the ground Lowemon lifted his dizzy head to gasp whatever situation he was in better. Last thing he remembered was Tommy kneeling next to him. So where was he? Why did he move? Why was he flying across the room?

Phelesmon.

Tommy.

Supporting his shaking body with one knee still on the ground and ignoring the blood that was running from his wounds Lowemon crossed his arms in front of his chest. He had power and now it was time to use it. He didn´t want to have paid the horrible price for nothing. He didn´t want to see his friends get hurt. He had to make Phelesmon pay.

Phelesmon had dared to lay a hand on Tommy. It had dared to cross him, embodiment of true Darkness, despite being nothing but a lowly dark-type itself. And more than anything, Phelesmon had dared trap his other side. His twin. Koji. Wolfmon. Harming was one thing. Entrapping and forcing Light and many other Digimon into slavery something completely different. This was by far more than just personal.

Hate so strong, he hadn´t felt it in years. It blew all pain and tiredness out of his system, strengthened the energy he was collecting in his chest. Lowemon felt his muscles expand by Darkness´ high concentration in his body. It was the first familiar feeling since he had regained the ability to think and it felt good. Yet, some tiny part of his mind knew to be frightened by how easy it was to loath and use those feelings with every intention of hurting. Said small voice died when Tommy impacted in the next wall, when Phelesmon began stalking towards its defenseless victim.

With a final mental push Lowemon gathered as much Darkness as possible in the lion´s head on his chest and released a yellow beam of swirling Darkness.

But far before it could do any damage Phelesmon saw it coming and ducked out of the way. Biting down a frustrated growl Lowemon summoned his spear, spun it around, gathering momentum for the next attack and dashed forward with every intention of impaling Phelesmon on it.

* * *

><p>"Ewig Schlaf!"<p>

Watching with mild satisfaction how Phelesmon dodged Lowemon´s second attack with much less save distance Tommy stood up, but not without winching when the damage from when Phelesmon had sent him flying finally settled in his shoulder. Placing his free hand on the wound Tommy focused and froze his skin. It didn´t bleed, but Tommy didn´t doubt that an impact strong enough to send him flying was nothing to joke with. So better safe than sorry.

Keeping an eye out for the battle Tommy hurried over to the boy whose name he still didn´t know and the Digimon that was wounded badly at best. Which was bad; even if Tommy didn´t quite know where they were right now, it was as plain as the day that they all were in danger, losing a possible offensive power is in that kind of situation was never good.

Tommy knelt wordlessly down on the other side of an Armadimon. But as his knee touched down he felt something wet and warm on the otherwise pleasantly cold ground. Even with this little light he only needed a second short look to confirm what Tommy had expected from the second Digmon had been pierced through by a claw. However despite the ever-growing pool of blood there was still hope for this Digimon. Digicodes had yet to appear.

"I might be able to save him." He informed the other boy while he still scanned the body in front of him. Ignoring fluent curses and the clash of attacks Tommy closed his eyes and concentrated. Freezing anyone but himself needed much more care or he might just end up hurting this Armadimon the same way he had made Phelesmon´s hand useless and dead.

Without as much as looking to the other boy Tommy touched and turned Armadimon around with the hand that he could still move freely so that he saw one of the holes.

Ignoring a shockwave of one attack or another wash over him Tommy traced the wound´s edge with a single finger. Tommy didn´t need his eyes to see his ice grow and cover the hole. It was all Tommy could do in this situation. If only one of the others were here. They would know what to do.  
>A sharp intake of breath drew his eyes for the first time clearly to the other boy. The boy was small so Tommy had assumed he was younger than him, but now he seemed more the same age. A smile tugged the corners of Tommy´s mouth as he saw a spark of hope on the tear streaked face.<p>

"Can you help me turn him around?" Tommy asked, already moving the Digimon while trying to ignore painful moans. To his ears they were so much louder than anything Lowemon and Phelesmon were creating.

Of course Tommy didn´t have to ask twice; the other boy immediately handled Armadimon with so much care and love that Tommy allowed himself to hope that maybe the Digimon didn´t feel being moved at all. He hurried to suppress the spark, though, swallowing all kinds of feelings that surfaced from said spark as well. Tommy couldn´t allow himself to feel right now; hope, anger, fear they all could dim his concentration and even the smallest slip up could mean that Tommy messed up and couldn´t save one Digimon. And Tommy didn´t want to have anyone feel the pain that would result from losing a friend.

After repeating the process of freezing the wound on Armadimon´s back Tommy took a shaky breath and wiped the sweat from his brown. But this time swallowing didn´t get rid of his feelings. Tommy took another deep breath as confusion and fear came back with vengeance. He didn´t know where he was, why he was there and what Phelesmon wanted from him and the others other then sick entertainment. He clenched his fists when his body started shaking from a delayed reaction of Phelesmon´s attack. Why them? Why Koichi? Why did Koichi have to fight for his live? Why, when he was so much against violence? Who was doing this? Would they kill Koichi? Or Takuya? Or Zoe? What about the others?

Who could do something so cruel?

"Thanks." Tommy refocused on the other one next to him. The boy was drying his tear with a sleeve while the other hand never left Armadimon´s head. The boy wanted to say something more, but Tommy cut him off; he didn´t want to get false hopes up.

"You´re welcome. But I can´t heal Armadimon. I only bought some time."

The other shook his head and gave an unsure and small smile. "This is more than I could have done. So thanks."

Not wanting to disappoint the other even more Tommy didn´t argue that, instead he wanted to get some more information on what was going on.

"Do you know where we are? Or how we can get out of here?" He asked, not taking his eyes of the ongoing battle. Lowemon was having a hard time. All of his attacks missed and even from the distance Tommy saw blood drip to the ground.

"We are inside a huge flying fortress." Tommy pictured Cherubimon´s castle in his mind. "Koichi, Armadimon and I infiltrated to free you and the other Spirits." Tommy didn´t have to ask for more information, the other boy didn´t stop with summarizing just yet.

"We found this room and Koichi somehow got you out of one of these pillars. The rest you know. But the problem is, that we don´t know the way out, and no backup is coming."  
>Tommy heard the boy´s voice break at the end. He didn´t want to know, but Tommy suspected that it finally sunk in that there was little to no hope for Armadimon. Maybe the same feeling of despair that was taking Tommy over was settling in the other boy as well. The feeling of helplessness; despite being able to move, Tommy knew that no matter what he tried he couldn´t get his friends out of those pillars. He was Ice. Not Darkness. Out of all the spirits he was the one with no possibility of getting his friends out of those accursed prisons. Ice was solid not elusive.<p>

So Tommy didn´t take his eyes of the battle. Something about it was bugging him. Something was wrong. Many voices in the back of his head were telling him the same.  
>The one, who just let Phelesmon´s whip wrap around his spear and pulled the evil Digimon closer, was not fighting like Lowemon. It was definitely Lowemon, though.<p>

* * *

><p>As a German myself it sure was strange to write and use German words in an English text. Moreover so since the grammar is wrong and has a double meaning right now, the meaning changing with whichever way of possible correction said mistake is preferred. 'Ewig Schlaf' for example could mean either 'sleep for all eternity' or 'eternal sleep'.<p>

'Endlich Meteor' is much harder translate accurate, because the word 'endlich' can normally not be used in context with a meteor, since 'endlich' means 'finally' or 'at last' or 'ultimately'. So translations of the attack can be very different depending on the meaning that the translator guesses the creators meant when they used 'endlich'. Translating to 'final meteor' or 'infinite meteor' or 'meteor that appeared at last', etc.

Thinking about all the possible meanings is always quite a distraction, but well... it´s not the meaning of the words, but the attack itself that counts.

This is the chapter for February. I hope you like it and please review, comment and criticize. And thanks for the reviews from the last chapter.


	16. To live

chapter 16: to live

* * *

><p>Lowemon´s muscles were aching and his head spinning, but he forced his legs to keep moving. As long as Phelesmon was still standing, he was going to fight. Raising his arm, Lowemon materialized his shield just in time to block a stab and absorb the thrust. Struggling a following new wave of nausea down, he growled.<br>Phelesmon kept changing his weapon from a middle-ranged whip to a close-range trident. The nerve of it; assuming that such a cheap trick could hurt him. Him, Darkness. Lowemon pushed its trident backwards, dematerialized his shield and purred Darkness in his spear with both hands and wasted not a second in pursuing Phelesmon as it jumped away from him and changed its trident to a whip. But Lowemon didn´t plan on allowing it to put the changed weapon to use.

Lowemon dashed after it, not noticing how more of his own blood spluttered to the dark floor. He wouldn´t have cared either way.

* * *

><p>Tommy knew now what seemed off about Lowemon´s battle.<br>Lowemon was fighting to kill. While that itself wasn´t wrong the way he did most certainly was. Lowemon usually doesn´t attack head on. Lowemon counters. Lowemon waits for the enemy to make mistakes, uses them to finish quickly. Lowemon does not create openings forcefully. Right now it was Lowemon´s body that was fighting and that was all.

Tommy shuddered. Fascinated and disturbed by the wrongness that was Lowemon at the same time.

If this continued Lowemon was going to fall more sooner than later. Currently he was not like Darkness at all. As Darkness he couldn´t just not be elusive. That was like making Ice liquid; it wouldn´t be ice anymore. The contradiction that Lowemon created of himself was weakening him, taking away the advantage of the dark element, draining his energy with useless movements and slowly overshadowing his sanity.

Even if Tommy couldn´t do anything else, he definitely could help Lowemon. He had planned to do so anyway.

Chakkumon was too small and light, so Tommy dug deeper; to the simpler, rawer ice.

He stepped few feet away from the other boy, who was paying almost no attention to his surroundings and called upon the ice inside of him. He ignored the lingering feeling of dread, fear and regret that crept to the surface.

* * *

><p>He gazed Phelesmon´s side with his stab and drew violet blood. Lowemon would have smiled, but he was too busy fighting the blackness that threatened to overtake him and make him loose. Again he tightened his hold on his spear, again not feeling his own red blood draw fine lines on it as it ran from his arms down his hands onto the spear and making it slippery.<p>

Phelesmon backflipped from him, this time more careful to not give Lowemon another opening as it put distance between the two of them. He didn´t mind, because he dropped his weapon and let it disappear before it even touched the ground to gather energy quickly.

With a fluid motion he crossed his arms and released the deadly energy immediately; just as Phelesmon´s heels connected with the ground.

This time his Endlich Meteor was going to hit. There was no way it could doge; Lowemon had aimed perfectly and timed it just right that at the moment of impact Phelesmon´s muscles would be too busy absorbing its weight from landing to evade the incoming blast. He could almost see its bloody body at his feet; dead.  
>Right served justice and bitter satisfaction made him already forget just what he had to do to reach that goal and left a bittersweet taste.<p>

But the future vision burst when Phelesmon just dropped down to the floor, letting Lowemon´s yellow energy pass harmlessly over its head; a sick twisted expression in its eyes.

Lowemon so badly wanted to curse and destroy the sick creature on the ground. And that thought blocked everything else out.

With newfound energy Lowemon dashed forward, anger and frustration drawing their source in clear focus. He jumped and steered his leg upward, fully intending to smash Phelesmon´s head with a dropkick.  
>Phelesmon rolled to the side; again evading death by a hair, but Lowemon wasn´t done yet. As his enemy prepared a counterattack while standing up he punched; surprising Phelesmon with the unexpected move. Still, it wasn´t enough when Phelesmon seemingly easy caught Lowemon´s fist with a claw before reaching out with its whip and twirling it around Lowemon´s neck. But the frozen claw had given a sickening crack.<p>

His awareness too dimmed by the growing blackness and anger from yet another failed attack Lowemon didn´ t even notice his free arm moving on its own and getting in between his neck and Phelesmon´s weapon; giving him room to breath. Blinded, he didn´t see how the battle was developing.  
>Panting heavily and hard Lowemon had no mind to spare to the fact that he had been as good as dead not even a second ago. He clenched his jaw and prepared to fire another wave, oblivious to Phelesmon´s wide, gleeful and triumphant smile.<p>

He didn´t shoot.

His and Phelesmon´s head whipped around to the side to the formerly seemingly innocent observers.

No.

No!

But it was already too late. Ice was covering Tommy´s small stature, creating a sharp contrast to the black room. And now Lowemon felt that the temperature had dropped; his breath came in white clouds and his blood, spluttered all over the ground, had frozen hard. NO!

The sphere of ice with Tommy inside of it seemed to pulse, but Lowemon knew that instead of pulsing it was growing, with each heartbeat another thick layer of white ice was added and told Lowemon that more space was needed still, before Tommy´s new body was allowed to emerge from his evolution. Blizzarmon.

NO!

Tommy shouldn´t have to. He didn´t need to. Why would he do that?

Because he didn´t know. Tommy didn´t know about the price. Or the strain.

And because he, Lowemon, hadn´t been there. Because he had lost himself in lust for blood and vengeance.

Too soon a loud crack echoed through the dark dome and ripped Phelesmon back to the battle at hand.

* * *

><p>Kari dried some sweat with her sleeve and with the light provided by her D-Terminal she made out her slowly changing surroundings again.<p>

Some time ago the canyon had collapsed and buried the Chosen Children and their partners in it.  
>She had been right next to Takuya –or Agnimon- when it happened which was why she found herself in a hollow space big enough to contain perhaps 3 people if squashed together. When it happened she was alone with Takuya and Gatomon who had devolved to not be crushed by all the rocks from above and who had yet managed to protect her from all the bigger stones as well and secure them a space not as dangerous as everywhere else.<p>

As soon as the noise of falling rocks had stopped Kari had dug out her D-Terminal, sent a message and inspected her situation. She had yet to receive a reply, but she told herself that it was because there was no reception, and not because none of the others survived.

Kari had almost no recollection of the collapse, but she was almost sure she had seen AtlurKabuterimon cover some of her friends. So they couldn´t be dead. Surely they were all alive and relatively save. And with Izzy and Joe with them they had it better than her, who was alone with her partner and a boy.

All in all her situation hadn´t been all that bad in the beginning, but now it was different.

Somehow water was leaking through the ripples in the stones beneath her and had already filled half of the entire hole up to her waist. She had lifted an unconscious Takuya up on a higher rock with some effort, but alone his presence had heated the water to an uncomfortable temperature, however more than that he was burning up. Not literally this time, though.  
>His skin was hot, overly so, his breath was shallow and he was sweating. Had it only been for the temperature she would have guessed it had something to do with his element and not worried, but together with the other symptoms Kari had no choice but to think that he was ill with a fever.<p>

Moreover the air was running out. She could only guess with her inexperience with such a situation, but she guessed they had another fifteen minutes.

Kari saved the air of a sigh and instead spent her time thinking about how to get out as long as her brain was still working.

As far as she could see they had two options. One was to slowly dig her was up and hope that on the way she would either meet her friends or that her digging didn´t endanger them.  
>The other option was digging downwards, hoping to find the underground river Izzy had been talking about and where the water was likely to come from. The downside of that direction was that it was an underground river with no guarantee for an exit within 3 minutes time. Plus she would have to take Takuya and Gatomon with her, seeing how both were unable to swim.<p>

Waiting for rescue was not possible simply because there was none to do the rescuing. Cody and Koichi had been far away in the fortress in dire need of help themselves and everyone else was buried together with her below who knows how much rubble.

Kari searched for Gatomon´s eyes before she remembered that now, when she had her D-Terminal deactivated to save battery, she couldn´t see. It was depressing and she felt panic trying to overtake her. She quickly squashed it with desperation.

Speaking was no good because it needed more air so Kari and Gatomon had agreed to not do so if possible.

But Kari had decided what to do now and Gatomon needed to know.

"I´m going to try to dig upwards. Can you help me?"

Since she didn´t get a reply Kari guessed that yes, Gatomon was going to help and no, Gatomon had no objections. Kari was thankful for that because she desperately needed something to do. She didn´t want to think of the odds of her brother´s and all the others´ survival or even her own for that matter. And more than anything she didn´t want to die doing nothing.

Kari slid her hand over the bricks and rocks over her head, carefully removed a small stone and dropped it in the water to her feet.

* * *

><p>The crack had been unnatural and too early. Tommy´s sphere hadn´t reached Blizzarmon´s size by far.<p>

But even before that Lowemon had expected it. Blizzarmon was the Beast Sprit and Tommy had no idea of what he had gotten himself into when he had started his evolution. So Lowemon had prepared fanatically; to do it right this time, to not forget again. To restrain his feeling of worthlessness.  
>In the few seconds he had between realizing and hearing the sign Lowemon had gathered his energy; faking to still care only about drawing his opponents blood.<p>

So now, when he had Phelesmon´s attention again he shot. Not caring that Phelesmon expected and dodged it.  
>Lowemon used the chance to slip out of the whip´s hold, using the space his hand had bought him on its own, and ran towards the sidelines where those he had been supposed to protect were.<p>

Lowemon saw Cody holding Armadimon protectively in his arms and his eyes jumping between the place where Tommy had been, him and Phelesmon behind his back, who, judging by the outraged cry, just noticed that its opponent was fleeing. While he ran Lowemon gathered energy again. Energy, which this time was absolutely in tune with its element.

Lowemon hardly focused on that, though. He had his eyes on the icy sphere and the crack that split it in half. He watched almost captured by the beauty of the collapsing shell, how it fell apart and revealed an unconscious Tommy.

Lowemon ignored the nagging and squashing feeling of guilt and instead picked both up and continued running ahead, gathering energy and hoping that he was strong enough, that the fortress had potential to be elusive enough, to let them escape.

* * *

><p>They couldn´t die, especially he wasn´t allowed to. Never ever if he had a say in it.<p>

* * *

><p>With his emotions all strained worrying about Armadimon Cody hardly had anything left to fear when the Digimon that had once been Koichi picked him and the other boy up and ran directly towards the next wall. The Digimon made no attempt to slow down, stop or change directions. Instead he ran straight for it.<p>

Cody had no time to react or even feel when the Digimon shot an attack from his chest at the wall. He had no idea what he was supposed to feel anyway. Relieve, because hopefully the situation was changing for the better or fear, because everything was just so confusing.  
>The attack had no effect, on contrary the wall seemed to absorb it, and Cody half way expected the Digimon to stop running then, turn back to fight and reopen the bloody battle. But even then Cody couldn´t have despaired more.<br>Armadimon was dying and nothing could make the situation worse.

Instead of stopping, however the Digimon pressed both him and the other boy protectively closer to his chest before jumping right at the wall.

Cody only noticed that his eyes had closed when the impact he expected didn´t come and he opened them to find out what had happened. Cody didn´t see a thing. He was positive he had opened his eyes but he still didn´t see anything. Everything was black around him, he still felt the Digimon carry him and he knew he was moving because of cold air brushing over his skin. Tightening his arms around Armadimon more to reassure himself that he was still with him and that he hadn´t passed out he waited.

* * *

><p>Only having the air - that had become rather cold- move against him convinced Cody that they were still moving. He had no idea how long they had been in that absolute darkness, it could have been seconds or hours with no means to mess time, but it had been long enough for him to notice that the air wasn´t air at all. It felt almost liquid, yet it wasn´t water either because he could still breath.<p>

A minor part of his brain registered that his surroundings had become so cold that he was freezing and that the darkness was lifted enough to allow him to see Koichi had he looked away from Armadimon just once.

Only when he was dropped in overwhelming brightness and cold Cody finally managed to rip his eyes of his partners still form.

And his first thought was that he´d rather be back inside the black dome with Phelesmon than where he was now.

Cody saw white, white snow as far as he could look. Cold air was cutting in his skin now and he pressed Armadimon closer to his chest to make absolutely sure that he wouldn´t lose him while he fell hundreds of feet from the fortress to the ground. He knew that it wouldn´t matter, though at this height.  
>From the corner of his eye he saw both Koichi and the other boy falling as well, both unconscious.<p>

The whiteness on the ground was disturbed by countless moving dots, some closer and some farther away and with shock he realized that those Digimon were all were the only Digimon of the army that were currently present, but he had no sense to think if that was good or bad. He had however irrational hope; since the dots on the ground weren´t rocks the snow could be high enough to make them survive.

The rational part of Cody´s mind was long since gone.

After some tries he managed to turn his body around so that his back was the first limb to make contact with the ground and Armadimon, pressed to his chest, the last.

Cody never felt an impact.

* * *

><p>Tai chose not to move.<p>

For one he was pretty sure he didn´t have enough space to do so and he wasn´t convinced that his bones were in any condition to move, lastly he didn´t move because he was protecting Koromon; Koromon who had devolved trying to protect him.

He had done his job by assuring that Tai wasn´t crushed by debris and now it was Tai´s job to care about Koromon.

Every once in a while Tai heard him whimper and it hurt him more than his own wounds that he wasn´t able to soother Koromon´s pain, but Tai simply didn´t dare move. If he did he was pretty sure that the rocks were going to collapse and bury them more alive than they already were. So all he did was whisper reassurances, no matter how empty they were.

But it still hurt; not knowing the extent of his partner´s injuries, not knowing if Koromon was going to survive, fearing for his friends.

He hated this.

* * *

><p>What was he supposed to do?<p>

Chibimon sniffled and poked the human who was together with him in this dark place again. He still didn´t say anything. Davis would normally have snapped at him thirty pokes ago. So why wasn´t he waking up?

Chibimon couldn´t see, but he had smelled Davis the second he came to. And Minomon too. But Davis hadn´t moved at all. Chibimon heard his breathing and knew he was alive, but Davis still didn´t wake up.

Davis had never been able to ignore his nudging for so long. Davis always woke up after at least ten times, nag at Chibimon for waking him up and then try to sleep some more. But now he didn´t. And Davis wouldn´t sleep now in the first place. Because now Chibimon was almost crying and Minomon was here and Ken wasn´t, and Kari wasn´t either.

Why didn´t Davis wake up? Chibimon needed him. Everyone needed him. And Chibimon´s tears dropped, but Davis still didn´t respond.

* * *

><p>For all his brilliance Izzy couldn´t help thinking that sometimes being too smart was unhealthy for the mind. He was thinking and visualizing the best possible ways to escape their predicaments, but he still had brain cells left to calculate the survival of Tai, Agumon, Kari, Gatomon, Davis, V-mon, Wormmon and Takuya and compare his results with statistics he had seen, even though it wasn´t time for that at all.<p>

AtlurKabutrerimon was holding up debris –one part of Izzy´s mind wanted to find out just how much- and created a relatively huge cave for Izzy, Sora, Yolei, TK and their partners.  
>After some digging in the right direction, with AtlurKabuterimon still providing them with a lot of space to act and the tracing program for Digivices on his laptop he and few others had been able to dig Matt and Tsunomon, Ken, Joe and Pukamon, Mimi and Tanemon out. They were all hurt, wounded, and some had broken bones or weren´t even conscious.<br>Joe was out for one and so they had no means to treat anything. Ken wasn´t up to talking or thinking for that matter, because even with what little light they had Izzy could see Ken was green with worry.

More over the air was getting thin and he could feel his brain shout down every unneeded train of thoughts and calculations. That was the most pressing problem.  
>When either he himself lost consciousness or AtlurKabuterimon ran out of energy they were dead. Devolving equaled collapse of their cave equaled death. Hence he had to hurry with his planning.<p>

Izzy had received no message from the still-missing, but he tried not to let it bother him. Since his tracker couldn´t trace the other devices it was highly unlikely to think that any other form of communication got through all the rocks. He had sent a message to them and Gennai, though.

Izzy looked around and saw the others sitting and leaning for support. Seeing his friends like that he again felt the lack of air robbing him of energy to think, but at the same time he redoubled his efforts.

Because there was no way they were going to die like this. He wouldn´t let them die just because he couldn´t think of a way out. It was impossible. And how was he supposed to face Tai –because the goggle headed leader was definitely alive- if he gave up? And the others were relying on him. And they were not going to die.

"Let´s start digging upwards."

* * *

><p>Chapter for March. :)<p>

I almost feel bad for making such a cliffhanger, but well...hopefully that will motivate me to write. There was almost no dialogue in this chapter and that felt somewhat weird, but it won´t happen again in the next chapter.

For possible future references, does anyone know a name of the Digidestined´s classmates? If not i just might end up making them up if needed. xd

As always please review and thanks for last chapter´s.


	17. Twilight Zone

Chapter 16: Twilight Zone

* * *

><p>Gennai sighed as he surveyed displays in front of him. On five different screens a card showing the real world had been divided to allow him to inspect the damage he had to cause in detail. Hundreds of red dots were blinking and screaming for attention. Resigned he wrote his observations down and handed them to another him to pass it along to Lord Quinglongmon.<p>

He then returned his stare to the offending points and stared analyzing. What to do where? Who? In what order? How to explain?

And the children….

* * *

><p>Dr. Hiro Kido had experienced a lot of strange circumstances even before his youngest son became involved with another world.<p>

For example one thing happened when he had just become a Doctor; the hospital had gotten a call late at night about an accident that happened at the outskirts of the city. A car had crashed into the side rail of a fairly simple street. An ambulance was requested along with a Doctor; despite it being his first time working outside a hospital Hiro had been confident in his skill. He had after all graduated with the best grades, nothing ,however, could have prepared Hiro Kido for what he had been about to see.

As it turned out the calling party had been the driver himself.

Back then mobile phones were still a rarity so the driver had walked to the next SOS box to request help. All that in itself wasn´t all that noteworthy had it not been for the fact that the driver had been the only person in the car and that he got impaled with an iron rod through the stomach during said accident. By all means the man should have been dead. But he wasn´t and didn´t die later. After few months Dr. Kido released him to the world once more.

But the incident that was happening at his hospital right now was definitely more uncommon and unnatural.

It was evening and the hospital was buzzing with live. Nurses hurried through the corridors, doctors were called in, OP rooms and beds were getting set up for the patients that were sure to arrive soon.

When exactly the entire hospital didn´t know, though. It wasn´t like they were arriving via ambulance. No, they were going to come right out of the PC, which was why Dr. Kido was supervising the linking of several screens and the arrival of beds to carry the patients and Digimon off to prevent a pile of bodies that would doubtlessly come into existence otherwise.

The more he thought about what was happening the worse he felt. He knew his son and his medical skills well. For an SOS to arrive wounds had to be too heavy and much that Joe didn´t know what to do. Preferring not to think about the alternative in which Joe wasn´t able to assess the state of health, Dr. Kido mentally formulated his next conversation.

And as unpleasant as it was Hiro once again lifted a phone of its holder and entered another familiar number.

Much too soon for his taste somone answered._"Yes? Kamiya Yuuko here." _He really hated this part of being a doctor. It was hard enough to do with strangers.

"Yuuko, it´s Hiro." He paused shortly. It never got easier, not with her, not with the other mothers. "Please stay calm and listen till the end." To his relieve she didn´t say anything, though he heard her taking a sharp breath. Idly he wondered to whom her thoughts jumped first. To Susumu, who was on his way back from work or to her children who were away doing their 'job'.

Children first, he´d say. Joe hadn´t said anything, but it had been obvious that his youngest had been expecting something big to happen. Apparently today had been the fateful day.

"A few minutes ago, Gennai sent this hospital a message. He said he´d sent the children through to us to the hospital and he said that…. That their condition is unknown."He paused to let her absorb his information, already expecting exclamations of denial that usually followed.

_"No." _It was just a faint whisper, but Hiro heard it anyway, because he had been waiting for it. __"No! It can´t be. Please no! They promised!" __

He really wanted to agree with her, but he couldn´t now. There were more important things.

"Listen to me", he interrupted her rambling, "their situation is unknown. Kari and Taichi could be just fine. But they are going to arrive here anyway, so please hurry and come over, too, before the paparazzi hear about this."

He didn´t wait for her to agree, ended the call and started dialing a new number, hating his job, his son´s choice and the Digital World.

He was cut off during his third call when the room suddenly lit up and the air filled first with silence and then steps and whispers of nurses who were trying to get the children who were still standing to lie down on a bed each and finally cries. Desperate, suffering and sad. Something a hospital was too familiar with.

He could tell at first glance that Yuuko was going to be disappointed.

Why did children, his child, have to be the one chosen?

* * *

><p>Kari was digging restlessly with Gatomon on her shoulder and growing more panicked with every second. She didn´t have the energy or the will to hold it back any longer and she felt tears tickling her eyes, because she knew that this was the place where she and Gatomon were going to die. Dying, leaving the DigiWorld behind unprotected and helpless. Newer Digidestined will have to take over, suffer from killing innocents, experience despair and sorrow only to have their partner fall in the end. A first tear ran down her cheek and merged with the ever rising water at her waist.<p>

She´d never talk to her friends again, never see her parents again, never again eat her mother´s exotic food, never see her father come home from work exhausted, never again could she speak to her brother and tell him how much he meant to her.

She still had so many things she still wanted to do. Kari didn´t want to die.

Her Digivice started glowing. It filled out the entire little space she, Takuya and Gatomon were in and it turned blindingly white. Kari didn´t close her eyes, not having the strength left to do so, but when it dimmed, she no longer was buried by tons of stones and rocks. Suddenly her lungs didn´t ache anymore from lack of oxygen, dirt no longer tickled in her face, it wasn´t unbearably hot any longer.

It was still bright, but a different kind of bright, a plain one.

Her legs gave out now that she didn´t have anything left to lean on and Gatomon dropped from her shoulder clumsily; falling to the ground and gasping for fresh air. Kari didn´t get that far. She managed to keep kneeling unsteadily till somebody carefully pulled on both her arms and helped her stand and told her that everything was alright and that she was going to be fine. Kari hardly heard the female voice; instead she identified her surroundings as a hospital.

A nurse helped her then, she guessed.

What about Gatomon? Glancing back as she was led towards a unbelievable comfortably looking bed, Kari saw that Gatomon was picked up by a nurse as well. That was when a mob of chestnut brown riddled with red strains caught her eye and tortured her ten times over, strangled her heart and froze her soul.

"Nii-chan!"

She ripped her arm away from the nurse and stumbled over to him through a chaos that had broken out with her scream. She noticed familiar figures in her sight, but didn´t bother to identify them, knowing hat she would come to regret her ignorance later. It didn´t matter, because she wasn´t sure there even was a 'later'. She only had eyes for her beloved brother, who wasn´t moving and had to be carried onto a bed and a pick ball that was strained with red and wasn´t moving either; looking dead.

Her brother! Koromon!

Slow as she was the nurse quickly caught up with her, pulled her carefully in the other direction against her will.

She was too weak!

Kari hadn´t been able to protect them, they got hurt, her brother, Koromon, Matt, whose bed already got pushed away, Joe, who was just lying there unmoving, TK, who sat on a bed holding Patamon in his arms, Mimi who was crying and Davis. Davis, whose dark brown hair had become even darker from blood and whose arm was bent in a strange direction and Chibimon, who despite being wounded himself never left Davis´ side, even with all many nurses swarming around him. And-

-everything darkened.

* * *

><p>Izzy always thinks a situation through first before acting, but he was hard pressed to do so when he was no longer in mortal danger and so obviously save. There was almost nothing that could keep him rooted in place; even more so since he was the only one that had only sustained few scratches thanks to AtlurKabuterimon. He and the others were save and relived and that was all he needed to feel for now.<p>

Because his logical thoughts and natural curiosity far outweighed unclear and confusing feelings his first urge was to suppress everything else and store it away for later. Finding out just how they had come from a remote and sealed off collapsed canyon in the Digiworld to a hospital in Odaiba was much higher on his priority list.

That was until he was unable to distance himself form his feelings and they returned while growing from unstructured and confusing to full grown horror, fear worry and guilt at the sight of Davis and Tai.

If only he had planned better, if he had created a better strategy. His brilliant mind came up with so many other things he should have done better to prevent this, especially now that he could look back. There were so many glaring mistakes. Why again had he thought they could take on an army that outnumbered them about one to onehundred? Why did he not bother to make sure they had a save escape route?

Izzy obeyed the nurse uncomplainingly as he thought about many different scenarios. He only stopped once to take Mochimon in his arms.

* * *

><p>Cody connected with the ground firmly but surprisingly painless. Tired he opened his eyes and it took him a long time to realize that he was looking at a ceiling. A solid, white, and unmoving ceiling. The last time he remembered there had been no such thing. And yet it was there; white decorated with sterile, square lamps.<p>

He was in a house. Why? How did he get there? Who saved him? He had been falling and trying to protect Armadimon-

Armadimon!

He abruptly jerked upwards only to notice then that he had been lying on a solid ground. His arms were still holding Armadimon and Cody noticed with unbelievable relieve that he was still breathing. The hole in his body was still closed by ice, which he saw now was partly made of Armadimon´s own frozen blood. Just looking at it he wanted to despair.

However, he chose to instead avert his eyes and search for help.

Had he been in his normal state of mind Cody would have been surprised to see that he was in what appeared to be a hospital with nurses hurrying around, trying to talk to him and coax Armadimon out of his arms and Dr. Kido together with some other doctors run off with occupied beds. Three beds if he counted right.

Cody was also mildly aware that it was terribly loud around him, but somehow if didn´t register in his mind.

Equally distant he watched as four Gennais materialized out of a screen. One headed directly towards him while two others took Koromon and Wormmon out of Ken´s and a nurse´s hold. The fourth one walked over to a nurse in charge, exchanged few words with her and then walked over to Koichi´s bed, which was getting pushed out of the room. He saw a blond woman enter and recognized her as Matt´s and TK´s mother. She never stepped more than one foot into the room before being forcefully pushed out by a male nurse. Cody saw him lock the door behind her.

How Cody saw all that was a mystery to him when he was actually reacting to Armadimon related happenings only.

One Gennai had arrived in front of him and knelt down to his eyelevel. Cody didn´t know who that Gennai was but encouraged by the kind smile he was showing he handed Armadimon carefully over to him. The Gennai lookalike didn´t spare him a second glance and instead hurried back towards a screen only to disappear with two others of his kind and two more badly hurt Digimon.

Without Armadimon to keep him going Cody felt lost and was finally overwhelmed. First his eyes stung, then the noise suddenly flowed back into his brain and finally everything turned black around him.

* * *

><p>Gennai surveyed the data and slowly melting ice lying on a table in front of him.<p>

His copies had brought the Digimon with live threatening injuries to the castle where they were equipped best to take care of heavy injuries while he had made a raw analysis of important data. When the group of Digidestined had been forced to a gate he had created Gennai had quickly scanned their health and with horror he had seen that they were all wounded more badly than ever before. He was pleased to see, however, that their numbers had increased by one again; a young boy he identified as Tommy with the help of profiles Izzy had sent him.

It had been his ingenious idea to use the theory Izzy had sent him about the digital gates to temporally open all doorways and force a transfer with the help of the children´s Digivices; sending an order to transport every human in their vicinity to a location he had set.

And how luck it was that he gave the order and that he had defined human loosely in it. The effects of that one action could sadly be seen all over the world, though.

Gennai had decided to act when he lost contact with Izzy´s laptop and looking back on it now he saw just how fortunate it had been that he had acted so fast. It saved the children´s lives, he concluded as he looked at a picture of the former battlefield.

He had a photo of it in front of him together with other data from the transfer.

He frowned as he looked at it. Without analyzing the deeper details he couldn´t be absolutely sure, but the picture the numbers gave him almost convinced him that it was an irreversible process he was looking at. He couldn´t help but feel sad and sorry for the children, even if they had said they were prepared, even if they had said it couldn´t be helped and that they were fine with it. Gennai knew they weren´t. Children were children for a reason and not made for such grave decisions.

Promising himself to get back to that matter later he put the records aside to pick up different ones in their stead.

These ones were notes about the barrier that was keeping the Human and Digital world apart after his emergency orders. These results weren´t looking too good either. The line was frighteningly thin.

He sighed and was just about to write his next report to Lord Quinglongmon when a clone disturbed the peace of his office.

* * *

><p>Dr. Hiro Kido decided that after he had taken care of the heavily wounded children and assured their parents that no one had suffered lasting injuries it was best to take a look at the three children that had no parents come for them.<p>

When he arrived at their room – he had let them be put together to keep a better watch on them since he knew at least one of them had a dangerous habit- he found the digital man with the name Harry sitting on a chair and watching the children attentively. Gennai had requested of the hospital that they only treated the wounds the three had suffered with the simplest medications and asked that Harry was going to treat any complications that would appear or heavier injuries.

And frankly speaking, Dr. Kido was terribly glad that he didn´t have to worry about them, because he had no idea what to do. He had thrown a quick look at their stats in between his treatments of the other children and found them literally impossible.

At least two of them should be dead. The boy Dr. Kido had already treated once had a temperature of normally deadly 47°. Another boy, the smallest, on the other hand had hypothermia with 32°.

It was early morning when Hiro stepped into the room; it had been about ten hours since the children arrived and he was tempted to just turn around and leave the room when he was assaulted by the unpleasant and definitely unnatural high room temperature; it was winter, the window was open and yet it was about as hot as in summer.

"How are they?" While he knew none of the three personally and their state didn´t unsettle him as much as the wounds and scratches of his son and other children he had seen growing up, he was still unsettled when he thought about these three´s parents who had no idea where their children were or even if they were still alive.

"Getting better, we think," the clone of Gennai replied politely, "the temperature of all of them is going down." He got up and put a finger on one of the older boy´s forehead. "Takuya already stopped sweating and his temperature has gone down to…" the digital man closed his eyes in concentration, "…42°."

Dr. Kido couldn´t believe that he thought of that number as healthy.

Harry removed his finger and walked over to the next bed in line while Dr. Kido idly wondered how useful it was to be able to take temperature with a simple finger. Stopping at the bed of the dark haired boy with the most severe injuries -up to seven stitches were needed to make him stop bleeding just at one cut- Harry expression fell to concerned and he sighed silently.

"Koichi is getting much better as well, he has recovered best as far as we can tell. Sadly, however, that is because he is responding to a special treatment I´ve used. As you can see," he pulled an arm of the boy from under his blankets and showed Hiro three stitches, "this wound has healed already a three days' worth."

Indeed. Had he not known how old the cut really was Hiro would have estimated it to be few days old. It was unnatural, sure, but not more than the other two´s conditions, yet apparently it seemed to bother Harry quite a bit, when it in reality was good and could possibly save many lives in the future if they could find out what made the healing process speed up.

"Why do you think it is bad?" He asked, wording a question Harry surely had expected.

"Because what I tried shouldn´t have helped if everything was all right with him."

"What other problems does he have?"

"An illness that no medicine in the world can heal. They all have."Harry gazed at the three.

For a frightening moment Dr. Kido thought his son was included in that ominous 'all', but then he remembered that Gennai had requested special care for the three in this room only and he relaxed. Guilt was tickling his mind, though, because he was happy that it was not his son, but other people´s children instead.

"Is it contagious?" He only asked, sensing that the digital man wasn´t going to say much more on the matter.

Harry shook his head and walked to the last bed after putting the black haired boy´s -Koichi´s- arm back under the cover.

"Tommy´s temperature has fallen as well to 30°", he informed Hiro after repeating the process of taking temperature with one finger, "but unlike with Takuya we can´t even guess how far it is supposed to drop."

"So what are you going to do?" He questioned, wanting to be informed as much as possible about how the digital men were planning on getting the most unknown boy back to health.

"We wait until one of the other two wakes up to hopefully add to our database."

* * *

><p>Koichi opened his eyes and knew immediately he was dreaming, but it wasn´t an unwelcome one, quite on the contrary he felt more comforted by it than he remembered being for a long time.<p>

Darkness behind him, Light in front of him and grey twilight in between were calm, soft and radiated belonging. It was endless and yet Koichi didn´t feel lonely. He felt at home and he wouldn´t have moved from the darker part of the zone had he not seen a shadow appearing in the light part.

The form wasn´t quite as tall as an adult, but was still bigger than a child. Judging by the outlines the shadow had the same body structure as him and as the swaying form stabilized Koichi saw an all too familiar ponytail and a reassuring back.

Knowing fully well that in a dream time didn´t move normally and that there was no need to hurry he still moved faster towards the silhouette than he should with his wounded body. But he didn´t care, because it was Koji who had appeared. His little and yet so much stronger brother.

Koji turned around to him when Koichi left the twilight part of the zone and entered light´s part. Koichi wanted so much to run up to him and hug his twin, but he slowly came to a stop at arm's length when he saw the distant and empty look in his twin´s eyes.

The fright he felt right then was different from what he had felt ever before. It was a dream and at the same time he knew that it was really Koji standing in front of him, and not a projection of his wishes. It was Koji himself and it hurt Koichi to see an absolutely empty expression on his twin´s face. Empty just wasn´t Koji; while his face was often blank his eyes never were, especially not when looking at him.

Koichi would have sworn right then and there that he would make the one responsible regret had it not been for dawning realization that made Koichi´s worries seem petty on Koji´s face. Physical harm was one thing, psychical another.

"Koji?" He asked tentatively. Just to reassure himself; it wasn´t like Koji would forget him.

"Koichi." Koji smiled softly. "You are save."

"Yeah." Koichi didn´t have to ask what Koji meant. He knew his twin was talking about his time inside the fortress, his battle against Phelesmon, and he knew that it had been Koji´s presence back than that had allowed him keep on fighting, that it had been him, who saved him during his evolution and that Koji had been the one to move Lowemon´s arm to protect him. It was always him who did the saving and not the other way around. Even though he was the elder.

He felt like laughing looking back on it now. Koichi could never save Koji. Of course the rescue wasn´t going to work. Koichi wanted to cry.

"Do you know where we are?" Koji asked looking around and his eyes leaving his twin´s for the first time.

Koichi shook his head. "I like it here," he said taking in the scenery again as well.

Koji nodded and returned to watching him, a faraway look in his eyes. "Where my body is, I can´t move," he said after a while.

Koichi stiffened and Koji smiled at him in a sly way that he had surely copied from Takuya, he noted with fondness. Not that he would ever say that out loud. Koji most likely wasn´t aware of it anyway.

"But I can move my mind. They thought channeling my energy to control others was going to be easy." Koji scoffed. "They have no idea what they got into whey we got dragged into this mess for their petty ambitions."

"They sure didn´t," Koichi agreed, "they are going to regret it when Takuya is going to trample down the door to the leader ´s quarters screaming bloody murder."

Koji snorted. "I´m sure that will be a pretty good wake up call, but actually I was planning on bothering them while they were still asleep." Koji stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned a little away from him, but his eyes never left him. "You see, while I can move my mind I can´t leave my body alone."

Koichi nodded, understanding all too well what a body without a reasonable mind was capable of.

"I was wondering," Koji continued, now with a smirk that usually spelled trouble for Takuya, "do you think, seeing how we somehow are talking like this despite being far apart, that you can help me out with that?"

Koichi was infected and had to smirk as well.

"My pleasure."

* * *

><p>In case you didn´t know, 'Nii-chan' means 'big brother'.<p>

Now, that was definitely a sudden cut. One moment as good as dead and the next beautifully save and taken care of. Hope it was a good surprise. xd

I gave the name Hiro to , because I thought if fit him well, better than some other long syllabled Japanese name.

I´m looking forward to reviews and comments. :) And thanks as always.


	18. Recovery

Chapter 17: Recovery

* * *

><p>Garmmon=GendoGarurumon<p>

Wolfmon=Lobomon

Murmukusmon = Murmuxmon

* * *

><p>Koichi found himself in a familiar place.<p>

Around him he felt his friends´ lives fading as soon as he arrived; his anger and sadness bubbled to the surface of his mind immediately. He was in the stupid pillar room; the one he had escaped form just some time ago; captured in a Darkness that was not wide at all. A stupid feeling of déjà vu got him on edge; Koichi knew that he had been right where he was now once before. It unsettled him. He knew he had left his own body to take Koji´s place in his, because he felt Wolfmon and Garmmon with him instead of Lowemon and KaiserLeomon and a very faint presence at the back of his mind that symbolized Koji´s way of returning as well as Koichi´s safety line. So how come he was familiar with it?

Pushing this thoughts away for later Koichi prioritized. Like Koji had said he found himself unable to move, he tried to, but the material around him didn´t budge; apparently even if he was Darkness it didn´t mean a thing if he was in light´s body. It was quite a bit frustrating, but he took a mental calming breath. Seeing how he couldn´t do a thing he decided to turn his attention inward and fill Light´s Spirits in as to what was happening. Their connection, unlike with his own Spirits was much more based on words.

All the while he couldn´t shake the feeling that he had been here before, tough.

* * *

><p>The first thing Izzy did when he woke up after confirming that Mochimon was all right in his special, baby sized bed by his side was to look for his laptop and check his mails. Since they hadn´t taken it away from him, Izzy guessed that he was allowed to use it in this hospital, too. Or at least he hoped. Izzy tried to be as quiet as possible. His mother was sleeping in a chair, even though the sun was high and he shared a room with TK, Ken and Matt, but no one but him was awake. Considering that, he was vaguely surprised that only his mother was present, but then, he reasoned, that their parents might be taking shifts or were talking with doctors and the like.<p>

He didn´t wake his mother, even though he wanted to talk to her so dearly and apologize for worrying her. His near death experience still fresh in his bones, he remembered all the things he regretted back then when he thought he was going to die. His mother was at the very top of that list. He hadn´t thanked her nearly enough for everything. But he let her sleep even if it was only to push his feeling to the back of his mind where he could spare a little part of his brain to sort them out and put them into order.

As a computer genius he wasn´t all that comfortable with dealing with unstructured things; he was ashamed to admit that spontaneous feelings belonged to that category. So while his PC was still starting –its energy was full and he had to remember to thank his mother for it- his brain was already up and working and going into overdrive.

He hoped Gennai had sent him a message to explain things. Otherwise he was going to get all itchy until he found out; meaning till Gennai had the sense to answer Izzy´s million questions from the mail he was sure to send if Gennai hadn´t already prepared and mailed while Izzy had been still asleep.

How long had he been sleeping anyway? What day was it? And of course how did they get here? Who saved them?

Luckily for him or Gennai, depending on who asked, Izzy had indeed received a mail, but just looking at the size he knew it was way too little to answer all his questions. And really, it only contained a shot message, informing him that -based on Izzy´s theory about the weakening dimension barriers - Gennai had forcefully opened gates with the help of their Digivices, and a note that analyzing his Digivice might give some answers about the process that Gennai didn´t answer to yet or doesn't have the answer to either, because he was really busy; getting them out of the Digiworld had given a lot of Digimon the opportunity to leave as well and he and his team were busy now explaining the appearance of Digimon all round the world to the governments and sorting the Digimon into enemy and friend.

Izzy almost didn´t notice it, because his mind was reeling with possibilities, scenarios and theories about what was happening and what was going to happen, but Gennai had written a short PS; All three, Takuya, Tommy and Koichi had evolved, it said.

About Takuya he had already known, but back during the battle he had tried not to remember to what price it came. Thinking about it now it left a bitter after taste in his mouth. If Takuya and Koichi hadn´t forced him to promise not to tell anyone except Gennai about the cost of evolving without their Digivice and repeatedly told him that it didn´t matter, he would never have come up with the plan. Tai would never have agreed either, but both boys had wanted him to think rationally about the possibilities their power provided and the fiasco yesterday – he found out after looking at the date on his laptop- had been the result.

And a fiasco it had been. Their situation hadn´t been _that _bad until the canyon collapsed. Why did it anyway? It had been relatively stable and even if a stray blast would have hit the walls it shouldn´t have collapsed completely. It was like its foundation had disappeared.

That demanded research. And what about Phelesmon? Had it finally died or did it survive even that. It shouldn´t, but Izzy decided not to rely on it. That Phelesmon had been doing stuff that it shouldn´t be able to ever since they first met it.

He scrolled through his Digianalyzer. What about Takuya? He still hadn´t finished Agnimon´s profile. How was he anyway?

And Tai- Oh god, Tai. He remembered faintly having seen him when they arrived, but Izzy didn´t know his condition. He only had a small feeling telling him that what he had seen had been bad. What about Davis? Kari? Gatomon, V-mon, Worrmon, Koromon? Cody, Armadimon and Koichi? What had happened on their side? How did they save Tomoki? What about-

The sound of the door being opened quietly interrupted his thoughts. Mrs. Ichijouji entered, careful not to disturb her son. Only after she had confirmed that Ken was indeed still sleeping, she quietly closed the door behind her and let her eyes drift around the room. She caught sight of him, met his eyes, and her face lit up, but before she could say anything Izzy lifted a finger to his lips gesturing towards his still sleeping mother.

Mrs. Ichijouji nodded, walked over to Ken, gently brushed a hair out of his face before making her way over to him.

Izzy had one of the two beds near the window side of the room, while Matt and Ken were the closed ones to the door. He was just wondering if the arrangements of beds were an indicator of the seriousness of the patient´s condition, when Mrs. Ichijouji took the last free chair near him and sat down.

"Izzy, dear, how are you?" She always used endearing words with them.

"Quite good actually," he whispered back, "the bandages are bothersome, though. I can´t move as I want."

She smiled a little and Izzy noticed she had dark rings under her eyes. How long had she been awake? And what about his mother?

"But never mind that." He said, his voice rising a little in alarm. "How are the others? I remember that Tai and Davis looked pretty bad. And what about Ken?" The last question he added almost as an afterthought. He had come to the conclusion, that the ones in this room weren´t hurt too badly, deep scratches at most. There was no medical equipment to say otherwise, but it was simply polite to ask.

"Ken is fine, thank you; he just needs sleep, dear." This time he really noticed how tired she sounded and her face lost the smile with every other word she said. "Kari has a light fever and most of the others are only little worse off than you.  
>Tai and Davis are the ones hurt worst. Both have heavy concussions, Davis has a broken arm and several bruised rips, while Tai has some of them broken. Davis suffered from blood loss, but he got a transfusion and should wake up, but he has a fractured leg. Tai on the other hand has sustained some damage to his spine. For a while they didn´t know if he was ever going to be able to walk again." She looked at him and quickly forced a reassuring expression. "They said he isn´t going to have any lasting damage." Izzy released a breath he had started holding somewhere along the line and remembered something he had missed by Ken´s bed.<p>

"Where is Wormmon?"

"I was told a few Gennais took him, Koromon and Armadimon with them. One of them is still here, but he won´t answer our questions and only says that they will return them as soon as possible." She sighed and Izzy had the faint impression that she was close to tears. He felt vaguely uncomfortable. "I wanted to thank him for always and especially now protecting Ken; I can´t bear to think that Ken could have been hurt as much as Davis." Izzy decided that it would be best not to point out that Wormmon had not been buried with them.

They fell to silence and his eyes drifted over to Mochimon. AtlurKabuterimon had saved them. Without him who knows how many more would be in conditions similar to Tai. Or how many would be dead.

Izzy never noticed when he fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Davis´ head hurt. A lot. Even without opening his eyes he just wanted to drift back to sleep. He tried, but the longer he did the more he was annoyed by quiet sniffles and he reasoned that they were what woke him up in the first place.<p>

He cracked an eye open and immediately regretted it when white light pierced his brain. He groaned. The sniffling stopped.

"Davish?"

He groaned again. The voice was way too high, but at the same time he had to move and show the voice that he was there. Because now he recognized the sniffles as Chibimon´s. Why was he sad? Davis had to stop it.

He fully opened both eyes and let his gaze drift around. Everything was a blur, but he saw a blue mass at the corner of his vision.

"Chibi-…mon?" His voice cracked and he hated how tired speaking made him.

"Davish!" Davis already felt a headache coming; Chibimon´s voice wasn´t exactly soothing.

"Chibimon, don´t. He is hurt." Davis knew that voice as well, but it took him a second to connect the more pleasant voice with a brown dot, which translated to his sister. Anyway, her presence meant that he could relax the muscles he had strained in preparation for a well meant hug attack from Chibimon.

He blinked once and brought the room into focus, tried sitting up with vigor he usually only displayed when getting away from teachers and immediately wanted to get out, thank you very much. He hated hospitals. They were too clean, he had to be quite and usually his presence in one was thanks to one injury or another and was more often than not painful, but sadly his energy was not enough to even lift his head.

"Jun?"

"Yes?" Davis heard worry in her voice and it lightly creeped him out. As a rule Jun was not worried about him. She nagged, bothered, complained and was angry with him, but she never showed her own fears. It made him wonder just what had happened to him. The last thing he remembered was…. He was at school… and Takuya and Koichi had landed in their class… and Takuya had evolved- that was so cool!- …and-

He bolted upright and looked around panicked.

"Davis?" She was holding Chibimon on her lap while she sat on a chair next to him in front of a window. He saw his own reflection in it; with bandages around his head, his arm in a sling and several more offending white bandages were glaring around his neck and out from under his hospital robes.

It really was a hospital.

His eyes immediately locked on to Chibimon. Chibimon had few band-aids plaster all over his body but otherwise seemed fine. He had been so afraid after Imperialdramon devolved and Chibimon got buried under some stones. Davis had dug him out though, right? Urgh… Not so much. If his memory was anything to go by they were getting buried deep under rocks of all sizes. So how had he got here? But way more importantly-

"Where are the others?"

"In their own rooms." That means-

"They are all save?"

"They are almost all better than you."

"Almost?" Fear gripped his heart, thinking back to the collapsing canyon.

"Tai still hasn´t woken up last time I heard." Davis stopped breathing, but he forced himself to speak anyway.

"But he will?"

"Yeah, they expected both you and him to wake up sometime today. "

"That´s good." He let go of the air he still had left in his lungs. He held his one left arm out to Chibimon, seeing how his right was by no means in condition to be moved. Jun let go of him rather reluctantly, eying Davis´ arm and other bandages. He ignored her and let Chibimon crawl onto his bed with loud exclamations of how happy he was and how scary a not moving Davis had been and how he didn´t like hospitals ´cause they smelled funny. Davis smiled, scratched his partner's chin to shut him up and returned his attention to Jun.

"So how am I?"

"You tell me."

"I feel great." Hopefully that wasn´t thanks to painkillers. "Just maybe a little tired." She nodded.

"Then don´t try moving. I heard your rips and leg are broken or something." She smirked. "I don´t think you are going to be able to outrun your fanclubs like that, though. Did you know that in the three days you guys have been here the hospital had to open a special room just for all the get well flowers and presents."

He groaned. "Do I have to work through all of them?" Something similar had happened once before when he had landed himself in the hospital as a result of soccer training. It took him forever to sort out presents from the people he knew and from those he didn´t. He didn´t even want to think about all the thank-you cards he had to write back then.

"Be grateful. Mom and I and other parents didn´t have anything better do while waiting, so that is taken care of. In your case I wouldn´t go anywhere near the lobby or exit, though. Every time I come here from school you´d think the press and fans laid siege to the hospital or something. And don´t get me started on school. Even I can hardly walk to the next class."

"Sucks to be you." She threw him a skeptical look.

"I´d rather deal with all that now than later. Just imagine what is going to happen when _you_ go back to school."

He shuddered. "I´d rather not."

"Thought so."

They sat for a while in silence, before Davis remembered two different things.

"Jun?"

"Hmm?"

"Where is Hopmon?" The violet, yellow drop like Digimon was his sister's partner and usually inseparable from her.

"At home. They didn´t want any more Digimon here."

"Oh…And Jun?

"What?"

"I´m hungry."

* * *

><p>Yolei was unable to focus as she sat in Tai´s room together with the other Chosen Children sans Takuya´s ever growing group. They hadn´t woken up yet, even though their wounds were in pretty good condition, Harry had told them. He said there wasn´t anything they could do other than waiting and told them not to worry saying that evolving always took a lot of energy.<p>

She still found that part absolutely amazing, though, but she was also glad that she herself didn´t have to evolve. It had looked painful.

It was the fourth day since their partly successful mission. She wouldn´t call it that though. 100% of them had landed in the hospital and there had been close calls for humans and Digimon alike.

Her eyes drifted to Upamon, who was unable to move because of all the special bandages Gennai had put on him. Upamon had been the closest. Then Koromon and finally Minomon. They all looked more like white ballons than Digimon and she would have found it funny had the situation not been so serious.

Tai was also the only one who was still forbidden from moving which was why they were holding the first meeting in his room. It was much smaller than the one she shared with Kari, Sora and Mimi and his bed was the only one in it, not counting Koromon´s. There was hardly enough space to fit all eleven chairs.

It was early morning and no parents were visiting yet so they only had to bring eight chairs. There was no way their parents would let them hold a meeting. Everyone knew that.  
>She had picked one near the window because she had been one of the first to arrive. It was winter and still dark outside at this time, but she didn´t mind; Yolei liked watching the few stars that were visible from a city.<p>

During the days previous to this meeting they all had been filled in up to date including how they got from their grave to a hospital still breathing and what had happened to the infiltration team.

Yolei really wouldn´t call it a success.

Right now they were discussing how the canyon had collapsed in the first place since it really bothered Izzy. She didn´t see why. Birds fly and canyons collapse.

So once again her eyes were pulled to Ken. They hadn´t been able to talk alone yet and she really didn´t mind. She had to think about her feelings and Ken had his mind full with Minomon; they might be dating, but that didn´t mean that they weren´t their own person. Just the thought of her dating him, however, sent butterflies in her stomach on a marathon. She wanted to spend way more time with him.

Suddenly he raised his eyes and met her stare. He smiled at her, but his heart wasn´t in it. That was no good.

With new found determination she tried paying attention. The sooner they got this over with the sooner she could make him smile again.

"We have to wait for information from Gennai, but I really think the collapse was caused by outside influence. I´ll bring this point back up then." It appeared Izzy was just summarizing their discussion. Lucky; she missed the pointless stuff.

"Looking at Cody´s report, it is quite obvious that we made a mistake with the upper part of the enemy´s command. Seeing how at least one Phelesmon was in danger of deletion means, that one, maybe both of them are expendable. Not to mention that we didn´t even know there were two in in the first place." Izzy explained it all in a dead voice, one that suggested he didn´t want to think about possible implications and Yolei could only agree. Just how many commanders had the stupid thing and who was more than a henchman?

"Are you sure?" Yolei looked at Tai, who in turn was watching Izzy. A frown on his face.

"Sure about what, Tai?"

"About the Phelesmon. Who said there was more than one? I thought it was strange, you see. Our Phelesmon should have been deleted when Angewomon hit it and when it burned in Agnimon´s flames, but since it didn´t, I thought that maybe it wasn´t a Phelesmon we were dealing with."

Izzy gaped at him. The sight was really funny.

"And just what was it supposed to be if not a Phelesmon?" Matt asked. "I don´t know about you, but I only know one devil costume wearing Digimon."

Tai rolled his eyes. "Same here, but in case you forgot, there was supposed to be a Murmukusmon in the enemy lines."

"Your point?"

"Gosh, Tai, you´re right!" Izzy exclaimed, braking out of his stare. "That would explain so much. Why it wasn´t killed by Angewomon, even how it managed to catch up to Matt and MetalGarurumon. It had been there from the very beginning. And it got our guard down, pretending to be an Ultimate instead of a Mega." He hacked at his computer; ignoring everyone's confusion.

"That would explain everything," he mumbled under his breath. Yolei heard him despite sitting at the other and of the room.

"Look here," he turned his laptop around so that the all could see a card of the Digital World he had put on screen, "this was where Matt found Takuya and escaped from one Phelesmon. Here is the TV and here," he pointed at two different places, "was the most recent attack of the fortress before Matt contacted me. As you can see the distance from fortress to TV is shorter, so it should have been no problem to beat Matt to it, especially if they really got something like a short distance teleportation system."

"Teleportation system?" Yolei didn´t even want to think about what trouble that meant. She had to have heard wrong. She only needed confirmation.

Izzy nodded grimly. No, please no. "That, or something similar it the only explanation to make it possible for the army to appear so suddenly without a trace, and Cody´s report describes something similar to teleporting. And we also mustn´t forget that this enemy comes from a different dimension. Who knows what kind of technology they have?" This was too much. Just what else could possibly make their odds worse? If only they could get rid of the leader or if they could get just get Takuya´s group away from them. Yolei saw her own desperation mirrored in her friends faces.

The silence was heavy and depressing.

"Davish?" She heard Chibimon whisper. The little bound of energy had been stuck to Davis ever since he awoke. "What is 'telepotashion'?" Some other Digimon perked up as well.

"It´s if you can disappear from one point in one second and appear far away at the same time." Davis explained monotone.

"And the bad guys can do that?"

"Mmm."

"That´s bad, right?"

"Right."

"Oh." Davis´ voice didn´t have any life in it at all.

Izzy coughed once and then continued with a forced steady voice. "Now, the next point is that we need to get rid of all the Digimon that escaped during the time the gate lockdown was canceled. Some of the Digimon have partners and we are requested to deliver them to their partner´s home or sent them back to the DigiWorld by the local governments.

The enemy Digimon that slipped through have been mobbed by Chosen Children and are more or less under control. There is a lot of damage, though. And we still need to send them back. We can do that as soon as Chibimon and Minomon feel up to it."

Izzy looked up from his laptop with a serious look in his eyes. Yolei smelled more trouble. It was his I've-got-bad-news look. But seriously, what else could be happening?

"The real problem is, however, -besides the ones in the Digiworld- that the wall between the Digital and Real world has gotten thinner and locking down all gates no longer is enough to prevent drifts. So from now on Digimon are going to start popping up all around the world and –"

"-our working hours increase?"

Izzy nailed Davis with a look. "It isn´t that simple. We can´t predict who or when a Digimon is going to show up. Or how many for that matter or how. In the worst case the army will invade and the real world is going to become a battle field." He sighed. "I know I´ve already said it often enough, but we really don´t have time. The longer we wait, the higher is the possibility and damage to the Digital world. And to win we need to get Takuya´s group out of that accursed fortress."

"Speaking of Takuya, what was that Digimon he turned into? I mean other than a name?" Yolei´s interest was perked and she mentally congratulated Davis for turning a mildly interesting and very much depressing meeting into something juicy. She more felt than saw how the others opened their ears.

Izzy grimaced, but turned his eyes to his laptop´s screen anyway. "I don't have much." And that bothered him a lot, Yolei noted. "Agnimon. Level Champion, that doesn´t mean anything, though. Typus unknown. Human Warrior Digimon. His attacks are Burning Salamander and Salamander Break, possibly more. He uses fire and appears to be a close combat Digimon. He can emit flames from special openings in his armor. Agnimon is a fusion of the human Spirit of Fire and its human host- that´s what he said- and is the leader of all Spirits, I think. On a side note, Spirit Warriors exist outside of our ranking system. " Yolei thought that was plenty of information already, but knowing Izzy he´d like to count Agnimon´s hairs.

"I got even less about Lowemon. Same Level. Unknown type. Also a Human Warrior Digimon. Don´t know his attacks or looks other that he is dressed in black." Izzy got grumpier with each word on Lowemon. It was absolutely laughable how he was obsessed with knowledge and she didn´t quite hide her smile. "And I got absolutely nothing about Tomoki´s evolution and Digimon other than him being Ice."

"Relax, Izzy," Tai laughed, "they got to wake up one day. You can drill them with questions then."

Izzy grumbled something incomprehensible in return.

Tomoki was the boy Cody and Koichi had rescued from the fortress. Apparently Izzy knew his name because Takuya and Koichi had helped him create profiles on their team. She guessed that was also the reason Izzy didn´t know more about their evolution; not enough time to do both.

The meeting was over. Izzy was hacking furiously on his keyboard, frustrated about his lack of information and apparently there wasn´t anything left to discuss, because he showed no sign of stopping. The others thought so too, since the atmosphere in the room got lighter.

"So, does anyone else think that evolving is absolutely cool?" Davis, as always had no qualms to draw attention to him. While his loud personality often annoyed her she also drew great comfort from it. Now was such a moment. "It was really amazing how he shut that Phelesmon –or Murmukusmon or whatever- up." While he got exclamations of agreement from most of the boys, Yolei noticed that the Digimon were rather confused.

"He did that?" Koromon´s voice was muffled from all the bandages covering him, but she could still hear his excitement. Looking down at Poromon in her lap she found him listening to Davis´ retelling intensely.

Then the door flew open.

* * *

><p>This is the chapter for May.<p>

I hope i explained well enough how they managed to get out of the Digiworld, if not, do not hesitate to ask. Cheking my previous chapters, i noticed that i didn´t give enough attention to the virtue children. I hope this chapter is a good start to change that.

Thank you for last chapter´s reviews. :) And please comment again.


	19. Chance

Chapter 18: Chance

* * *

><p>It was strange. Takuya hadn´t been in a hospital for a long time and yet he was staring at a ceiling that belonged without a doubt to a hospital. Nothing else was so boringly white. Just seeing it made him itching to move. Not to mention the disgusting smell of chemic stuff and cleanness.<p>

Hence he sat up; feeling not the least bit tired or hurt or whatever else could get one hospitalized and ,of course, very eager to get out.

His sudden movement startled somebody, but Takuya´s eye´s didn´t even reach said person. Instead, while he quickly gazed around the room, already half way off his bed, his eyes stuck to a person lying in the next bed.

Not good.

He quickly scanned the room, specifically searching for an identical and very much irritated teen. He breathed in relieve when he didn´t spot Koji. The guy was positively impossible whenever something happened to Koichi.

Then his brain caught up with what he had seen and he did a double take. Why was Tommy here as well?

How come he was in a hospital in the first place?

He hadn´t been ever since he returned from the Digiworld – he wasn´t cheating! It wasn´t his fault that he got a better reaction time from there - four years ago.

"Takuya, finally. We were staring to worry."

Takuya looked at the only person that was conscious other than him and suddenly it all came back. Right. Situation not so good. Scratch that, very bad actually. He noted however, that he didn´t feel any different from before the battle. That was a personal positive.

"Hi, Gennai," he greeted in return with a wave of his hand as he got up, walking over to Tommy experimental; no, his body did not want anything like medical attention. "What happened? What´s with them?" He gestured towards both his friends, already being familiar with the digital man from a short briefing at Izzy´s.

"It´s Harry, actually." At his confused expression he quickly added, "I´m a copy of Gennai."

"Oh, yeah. There was something like that." Something about information gathering? Takuya hadn´t really listened back then; too busy fuming over Koichi getting the right to get behind the enemy lines. And how right he had been; look where it landed the dark twin.

Still, Harry nodded at his mumbling and fell into step with him, following the short distance to Tommy.

"We decided to watch you here in the hospital since we really didn´t know how to treat you and thought that in case of an emergency this place was still equipped best for you."

Takuya nodded absently and placed a hand slowly on Tommy´s forehead. Startled he quickly withdrew it when he felt so cold that Takuya thought he might melt at his touch.

"I´m sorry." The honest sorrow and sadness made Takuya twirl around to face Gennai´s lookalike, fearing what he was going to hear next. He didn´t even have the spirit to be sarcastic when he saw the look Harry gave both him and Tommy.  
>"All three of you have the same pattern of changes in your data. We scanned you when you returned. I´m sorry." He bowed his head apologetically, but Takuya didn´t hear him.<p>

He felt sick. Suddenly the room wasn´t as stable as it first seemed and the air was much heavier. Takuya had to hold on to the railing of Tommy´s bed to keep standing. Harry was saying something, but Takuya didn´t even acknowledge him anymore.

Why Tommy?

Koichi, Takuya had known, had very little possibility to return from his mission unchanged. He had only very grudgingly accepted it. There hadn´t been much of a choice and in the end Takuya had given in to the dire need of firepower, Koichi´s wishes and his own sympathy – because they all knew he wouldn´t have stood at the sidelines- , but he had tried. He had also known that, if they couldn´t get hold of a D-tector, the others would eventually have to follow his -and possibly Koichi´s- misleading footsteps, but Tommy shouldn´t have needed to just yet. This wasn´t right.

Had he even known the price? What if not? What would – what could- he do? What was Tommy going to do? What if-

His panicked thoughts were interrupted by a wave of calm.

Takuya had never appreciated Vitramon´s seemingly indifferent attitude as much as right then. Vitramon was right. Weather Tommy had known or not didn´t matter. Fact was, that he already did pay the price and now only dealing with the aftermath was what they -he- could do. Moreover, the situation had to have been bad to even make Tommy, Blizzarmon and Chakkumon consider evolving without D-tector.

Knowing the risks only was a side factor, because it was only logical to think that not using D-tectors was dangerous. Why else bother with a useless piece of technology in the first place? And unlike Tommy, who was still impulsive and reckless in some situations, the Spirits of Ice were much more level headed. Something Takuya couldn´t say about his or himself. Or was it only 'himself' now?

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and forced as much air out of his lungs as possible. When he opened them again the walls stood still and the floor was quite solid.

"Are you ok?" Harry was looking at him with worry. He had Takuya´s left arm in a tight hold to keep him standing.

"So, uh… how did we get here?" He asked after he nodded and got his arm free. A look out of the window told him that it was early morning with the sky graying.

Harry still eyed him suspiciously and only answered after he steered Takuya back to his bed and made him sit down. "You passed out just before the battle turned for the worst," he said and Takuya groaned. Typically. He just had the worst luck. "The canyon collapsed and buried you all in it."

"How did that happen? And are the others all right?" He was aware that it was rude to interrupt, but Takuya didn´t really care. Manners were such a useless thing, sometimes.

"We are still investigating as to why, but the others are safe and sound, thanks to their partners. The battle happened four days ago and the majority of them will be discharged soon." Other than the 'majority' part it was great news. "The infiltration mission went about as good as your side; they got caught, engaged in battle, managed to free your friend Tomoki-"

"It´s Tommy." The interruption came automatically. Seriously, he had listened often enough to Tommy tell other people off for calling him by his given name to have the response programmed in his own thoughts. The whole thing slipped from his lips like a record. "He doesn´t like getting called by his name," he explained, waveing his hand dismissingly as a sign for Harry to continue.

"But they were all hurt badly," Takuya´s eyes immediately sought out Koichi´s still form, "and only just managed to escape."

"By then we had lost contact with you and Gennai used a special program to open gates and force all of you through. It was just in time, too. " Takuya nodded again, not really listening. He watched Koichi and searched for any sign of injury and, to his disappointment, found some bandages. He really should have gone in Koichi´s place, but no no-body listened to him. All just because of a little tactical advantage.

"How are they?" Harry followed Takuya´s solemn look and sighed. Takuya's eyes flashed to the Digital man.

"Actually, we were hoping you could tell us that."

"Huh? What do you mean?

"Just judging from their wounds Tomoki –Tommy- is perfectly healthy, only a bruise on his shoulder, and in a few days only scars will remain from Koichi´s almost lethal cuts at the rate he is going. We don´t understand why they won´t wake up."

Huh, who would have thought? Advanced healing? Neat.

Back on topic Takuya –and his Spirits- thought about different possibilities. It was amazing what a three split mind could produce. After the entirety that was Takuya had finished thinking he discussed the theory they –he?- had produced with KaiserLeomon, whose Spirit Takuya still held. He really had to use words for that one, though.

When Takuya finally spoke –going with KaiserLeomon´s idea; fire just wasn´t good at thinking- barely two minutes had passed in reality. "Maybe it has something to do with our bodies. Four days should have been enough to recover the energy we needed for battle and evolution, so it can´t be that. I think that maybe I woke up, because I´m _all_ healed. I don´t have a scratch anymore."

"Vitramon and Agnimon aren´t sure, but they say it´s possible that they unconsciously kept me sleeping to let my body heal better." Actually the two of them only mentioned what they remembered –that being the desire to sleep- and KaiserLeomon made the connections, but it was way too complicated to recount his internal dialogues. So he skipped it.

"That is possible", Harry mused and Takuya could just see the digital wheels in his head turn.

Geez, smart people and thinking.

* * *

><p>Gennai inspected the small device in his hands. It was the first one to be completed. It was absolutely white, with a small screen, two buttons and a scanner where an antenna used to be on mobile phones. All in all it wasn´t that much different from the ones he was used to; it just had few special functions.<p>

It was a shame they had been too late.

His musings were broken when another clone came running to him, breathing hard. Gennai listened and already formulated his mail to Izzy in his head. He didn´t like putting the children to work again this soon, though.

* * *

><p>Ignoring the oh-so-busy man Takuya stood up again and made his way over to Koichi. It was time to return someone. And they were both eager to part. As long as Darkness´ Beast Spirit stayed with him Takuya felt somewhat confined in his own mind. KaiserLeomon just didn´t belong with him. Even more so now than before.<p>

Takuya summoned the Spirit to his hand; it looked just like a black cloud sized like a balloon, really. Not very impressive. Good thing, he didn´t say that aloud, though.

Dropping KaiserLeomon over Koichi´s body, fully expecting the Spirit to fade away to Koichi´s mind Takuya was almost turning away already, when he saw that KaiserLeomon wasn´t disappearing at all.

Huh?

Takuya frowned. What the heck?

Instead of fading only the Spirit´s dark aura was absorbed into Koichi. KaiserLeomon remained sitting –standing or whatever it is that Spirits do- right on top of Koichi's chest.

He frowned some more.

"What´s wrong with it?" Harry asked, utterly fascinated by the Spirit.

Takuya shrugged, waited a little while until he was finally sure, that no, KaiserLeomon was not going to disappear sometime soon. Curious as to why he picked the Spirit back up and was surprised to feel KaiserLeomon exhausted.

"_What happened?" _Takuya chose to ask carefully. You never know after all.

"_My energy was drained."_

"_No kidding. I couldn´t have guessed that."_

"_Koichi isn´t there."_KaiserLeomon ignored his sarcastic remark smoothly_, "Lowemon isn´t either, so there was no one to take me in, but apparently they need energy. A lot of it."_

"_What do you mean they 'aren´t there'? I see Koichi just fine." _Could KaiserLeomon roll his eyes as a Spirit Takuya was sure he would have done just that.

"_Mentally, of course."_ KaiserLeomon informed him. _"I can still feel Lowemon faintly, but Koichi is completely gone."_

"_Where to?"_

"_Since Lowemon wasn´t upset, I would guess to the only thing possible. Somehow the twins formed a connection and Koichi is visiting our antipole. Us Spirits don´t have that ability. Either that itself takes a lot of energy or he is somehow giving it to Light." _

"_They can do that?"_ Takuya gave him incredulous mental looks. A telepathic twin connection? Takuya could almost see Koji come up with something that amazing just to shove it in his face.

"_Apparently."_

"…_.does that mean you are stuck with me again?" _Not that he didn´t like KaiserLeomon, but it simply wasn´t all that nice to have somebody foreign poke around in his head.

"_No. I shall remain here and wait."_

"_Great, you do that."_ Takuya was about to put the Spirit back when he felt KaiserLeomon tug on his mind.

"…_.I don´t think Koji or Koichi would mind if you showed some support."_ He said it in a voice that suggested he had been waiting for Takuya to figure it out himself.

"_Oh, yeah, right…."_ That´s what was so nice about Darkness. All three of them were more or less polite and tactful. Light would have taken great pleasure in insulting him in the process of correcting.

Having put the Beast Spirit of Darkness on the pillow next to Koichi´s head he summoned Vitramon´s Spirit to his hands. Agnimon´s couldn´t anymore.

Seeing his majestic form surrounded by the purest of flames a happy smile appeared on Takuya´s face. It was so beautiful.

"I´m going to give them some energy," he spoke out loud to inform Harry, before the man could jump to conclusions. Takuya could only imagine what it looked like. He stood with a hand full of fire at the bed of an unconscious patient after all. Couldn't seem too peaceful.

Takuya carefully lowered his Beast Spirit to Koichi´s hand and made even more carefully just a little bit contact with his skin. He was fire. And while Darkness was elusive it was by no means immune to their Fire. Of, course not. Nothing was.

On contrary to what he expected as soon as he made contact his Fire disappeared and Vitramon´s reserves were reduced to nothing in little more than a second. His energy had disappeared. Completely. Without a trace. Left.

Astonished, Takuya stared at Vitramon´s empty armor. Vitramon stared right back.

"_-you don´t think-"_

"_-no way-"_

"_What else could it be?"_ True. If it was Takuya he would rip the place down to the ground. If it was Koji he would first outsmart and then proceed to destruction. It was definitely possible.

He whirled around to Harry, only partly aware that Vitramon returned, eyes wide and brain stumbling over his racing thoughts. Good thing he had two others to keep them in line.

"Do you know where the fortress is right now? Or did a Digimon contact you?"

Right then Takuya cursed the slow reaction time of humans when Harry was first taken aback and then needed forever to answer.

"No, nothing." Touching Koichi´s hand quickly, he let him drain his energy until Takuya only had enough left to move. Talk about greedy, Koji!

"Are you sure, are you really sure? Not even the faintest thing happened?" He put as much weight to his words as he could.

"Well, I nothing last time I contacted headquarters three hours ago." Some uncertainty. Finally!

"Then contact again," he ordered not caring the slightest that it wasn´t his place. "It´s really important," he stressed, already ripping the door open and not being quiet in the least. "Possibly world changing!" Now that should get him moving. He didn´t see that, though. Takuya was already down the floor, crinkling his nose at the disgusting smell of chemic as he followed a trail of all too familiar smells with his now enhaned sense.

That was sure to take time to get used to and he did not look forward to it at all.

* * *

><p>He was so incredibly displeased that not even the whimpering form in front of him could pacify him. Darkness escaped. Fire escaped. And the bothersome bugs escaped.<p>

No matter.

Struggling would not help.

It will all happen as it is meant to be.

* * *

><p>The door crashed open and Takuya, panting slightly, stood there. He immediately locked on to Izzy, not even glancing around to check who was present.<p>

"Say…"It took some time for him to catch his breath and for some reason he wrinkled his nose, "did you get a message….. a contact or anything from ….somebody?" He blurted out and Sora got a vague feeling of dread once again. She wished it would stop already.

"An enemy Digimon most likely. And a light type. With two legs or four, preferably. You –or I- have to talk to it. It´s really important! Live changing! It-"

"-hold it!" Tai interrupted loudly, a playful frown on his face despite his confusion. "Now take a deep breath, calm down and then start again. We didn´t understand a word." Takuya did as asked, blinked a few times and just now really saw them.

"Oh, hi. What are all of doing here?"

"Meeting." They chorused all at the same time and Sora could not help it; she sighed. Getting off task so easily was just like Tai and Davis and given the situation a great source of worry.

"About what?" He asked curiously, his interest perked. She wondered how long he had been awake.

"Never mind that, " Matt countered, "what was so important you had to wake half the hospital at impossible hours?"

"Oh, shit," he cursed as he leaned against the closed door, his breath still coming uneven. "Some Digimon has to have made contact with you. A light type, former – or still, depends, I guess- enemy, on four or two legs most likely." He stared at Izzy, who was quickly returning to his pc, speaking fast and with urgency in his eyes. "We have to speak with it. One of my friends is controlling it.

"He took massive amounts of energy from me and I can't even guess how much longer Koji can maintain control. He´ll have some information and or stuff stolen from the enemy with him." Stopping his rambling he looked at Izzy, waiting for an answer. Sora just stared at him, feeling her friends doing the same. She hadn´t understood a word. The silence was only broken by noise coming from Izzy´s keyboard.

"Uhmm…,"Davis started, "could you repeat that, please? Slower, with more explanations?" Sora saw Takuya shift the focus of his stare to him while he slid down at the door, sitting on the ground. He was still very pale, she noticed, being one of the few with chairs close to the door.

Takuya opened his mouth to repeat once again but halted when Izzy spoke in his place.

"We really have." There was astonishment in his voice and Sora saw the situation in a whole new light; there were only so many things that could amaze Izzy. "Gennai just now mailed me," he said for the benefit of those who still had no idea what was going on. "A Shisamon appeared at Metal City. It does indeed claim to have important information. Gennai asked us to deal with it, including weather we want to go or not." He leveled Takuya with a curious but also suspicious look. "How did you know this?"

Sora also looked at him again and just saw him wipe away some sweat. He rolled his eyes. "I just told you; a friend of mine is controlling or possessing or whatever that Shisamon. Hence he is knocking at our door."

"Yeah, but how did you know your friend was doing this?"

Takuya blinked, confused for a moment, before his face split into a grin. "Oh that? It´s because Koichi is currently visiting him and using every bit of energy he can get to support Koji, i guess." His smile became pained. "Which is why we have to hurry before Koji runs out of fuel to burn and loses control. We really have to hurry." He pushed himself off the ground and stood rather shakily against the wall again, still panting, once more wiping sweat from his brown.

"You are all still hurt. Can you open a gate for me, Izzy?"

Incredulous looks were shot at him from all directions and some protested loudly. Sora didn´t voice her disagreement, but she, too, thought it was rather insulting of him.

"There is no way you are going to the DigiWorld, let alone by yourself." Tai said, being obviously not happy at still being bed ridden.

"Yeah, you can hardly stand," Davis added accusingly. Naming what should have been obvious to Sora when she was only two steps away and not across the room like Davis; yet she hadn´t seen it.

"It isn´t set that somebody is going at all. It could be a trap for all we know." Izzy was a voice of reason as always, but this time Sora, thought, it would have been nice without. Things were finally turning in their direction.

Takuya shot Izzy a disbelieving look. "This is Koji we are talking about. Only he would and could pull a stunt like that." Sora noticed that there was a bit of pride in his voice.

"Maybe, but let me finish. Who is to say that your friend really has control? What if he has already lost it and the whole situation got turned into a trap. Or what if the Digimon your friend had controlled got exchanged with another? The possibilities are endless. We can´t just walk in."

"That´s great, then." Takuya did a 180 turn and positively beamed while he slid to the ground again. "Just tell him I said to sit back and wait to get rescued. If you get a witty or sarcastic remark as an answer it´s him. If not, you can run." He almost fell down to the floor again.

"But you ….should really hurry." He leaned his back against the door, taking deep breaths. "Koji totally drained me empty." Again Sora noted how pale he was and slightly tuned out she saw how his eyes lost focus, closed; she and others positively scrambled to him when he fell to the side and crashed to the ground, unconcious.

* * *

><p>"What do we do now?" TK asked, feeling the need to remind them of the urgency that Takuya conveyed before passing out. Said goggle head was laying spread out over several chairs now, by the way. "Somebody has to go."<p>

"No, TK," Izzy disagreed, "we don´t have to. It´s our choice and traps are by far not eliminated just because Takuya gave us a way to confirm with whom we are talking. The enemy could have allowed his friend to contact us."

Solemn silence fell while all they were all considering their own thoughts. TK scratched Patamon between his wings and reviewed all the facts they had. For one, they all were injured in one way or another; the Digimon were mostly healed already, though.  
>From Takuya´s group only he was awake, while apparently one of his friends had possessed a Digimon to give them information. TK didn´t like the idea of humans being able to take control of a Digimon, hell he didn´t even like that Digimon were able to do it to their own kind, but Takuya´s words from the battle still sounded in his head.<p>

"_We just didn´t want to risk the fate of the Digiworld on sentimentalism in battle."_

Back then TK had found it despicable, but now when he reflected he couldn´t say that he didn´t see where Takuya had come from with that. He had killed, too. Indirectly through HolyAngemon, but that didn´t matter. TK also did understand that a different situation calls for different needs and the current one was definitely dire and desperate enough to not only justify possessing, but also emergency killing. He hated to admit it.

However, that did not mean that he agreed with Takuya's methods.

And now they had a possibility to gain something on the evil. There was no way they couldn´t take it.

Looking around to his friends he dreaded to think what could happen to them if they really chose to go and it turend out to be a trap.

"I´m going!" TK switched his eyes to Davis who had loudly announced his agreement with TK´s thoughts. "We can´t miss this chance if we want to win. So what if it could be a trap? We have had worse just days ago!"

"I agree with Davis, Izzy. "

Izzy stared at Tai before he opened his mouth to protest. Tai smiled and held a hand up to stop Izzy´s genius before it got to word.

"I agree that we can´t let this chance slip, but Davis won´t be the one to go," he declared, "now, don´t start protesting, Davis. You were hurt way too much and are barely allowed to walk as it is. Though that disqualifies me as well," he muttered under his breath and TK smiled, seeing how everything was almost back to normal while Tai nailed Davis with a look that clearly said they both knew he was right.

Of course that didn´t stop Davis from trying anyway. The two of them continued bickering for a while until Yolei interrupted.

"I´ll go." As she said it TK saw her eyes flash to Ken for the smallest part of a second and TK got a knot in stomach thinking how he´d feel if Kari wanted to go, too.

Sighing then, Izzy gave up and nodded, returning to his usual organizing and strategist self.

"All right then."TK heard he was still not agreeing with Tai from his snappy tone, but he started working with his keyboard none the less.

"Seeing how we are," he gave them all a distasteful glance," it´d be best if only two or three go; Fire or Ice types. A little number is less likely to be noticed – on radar and in person-, should it be a trap or not. Not that we have many more to move out anyway, but the rest will stay here to protect the three of them. If we can protect should it come to battle is a different thing all together.

"Yolei, you should run if you have even the slightest reason to be suspicious of the Shisamon; use Holsmon then, he is faster and smaller. Who else is going? Ken, you can´t. We might need Imperaldramon here. Matt could to increase firepower, but he isn´t the right type, either…."he drifted off in his musings while they all waited for his recommendation.

"Sora would be best," he finally said, looking at her and she agreed without hesitation. TK thought she might have been a bit too eager to agree, but he saw that they all were hating their uselessness in this hospital and Sora, being who she was, was most likely blaming herself partly for what had happened in the canyon. She always did.

"You´ll have to go now. Takuya said we didn´t have time and there is no way we could get to act once our parents have come," Izzy added, eyeing the two of them while still typing away on his keyboard.

"You set up the gate, while Sora and I go change. We couldn´t possibly face a fellow Digidestined in hospital robes, after all, " Yolei said with a semi-serious voice while crossing the room, dodging several chairs in the process.

* * *

><p>First of all the next chapter will <strong>not<strong> come on the first. But it will come in June. I have time now and will update a lot more stuff. This chapter is also a result of having more time by finishing school. :) No more time

I don't really have to say much about this chapter other than that i dropped some hints. Hopefully they weren't too apparent; I don't know, seeing how I can't judge them objectively, already knowing everything.

Please review and thanks for last chapter's. :)


	20. The already paid Price

Chapter 19: The already paid Price

* * *

><p>Shisamon= Seasarmon<p>

* * *

><p>"Are you really sure you are ok? We could get you back to your room so you can rest."<p>

He sighed; an arm lying over his eyes to block all sunlight. "It's just a little headache." To prove his point he sat up from the chairs the others had put him on in an attempt to make him comfortable. A failed attempt.

"You fainted. That was not just a 'little headache'," Mimi countered, glaring down at Takuya and daring him to leave his chair.

"Well, now it is." Takuya leaned back to look up at the girl towering over him, a grin tugging on his lips. "It'll go away." Hopefully.

"It'll go faster if you go to bed."

"But then I'd miss the rest of the meeting."

"Actually, Takuya, the meeting is already finished." Izzy put in, while he monitored the movement of Yolei and Sora's Digivice on his laptop. "We have to wait till the girls return with either good or bad news and that can take a while before we can start soemthing else."

Takuya skillfully ignored the triumphant look Mimi shot him, but he still gave in to her nagging. Because really, all these noise were not going to make adjusting to his change -situation, illness?- easier. "Fine," he huffed as got a bit shakily to his feet; again ignoring the pointed look Mimi gave him and the worry from all the other occupants of the room as he moved an empty chair away from the door.

Mimi opened it for him in a misplaced sense of care and stepped outside. "I'll walk you back to your room," she informed him at his questioning glance, which quickly transformed into an annoyed glare.

"I can take care of myself just fine, _thank you."_

"Tell me that again when you can stand on your feet without swaying like a drunk," she resorted arrogantly.

It took a great deal of effort not to stick out his tongue like a brat, but Takuya managed somehow as he followed her out of the stuffy room. As the door clicked shut behind them Takuya suddenly was no longer as annoyed as before; he had forgotten where his room was, hopefully she knew.

"So, which way?" Apparently not.

"I don't know."

She rounded in on him and Takuya resisted barley the urge to clasp his ears shut, because she was sure to raise her voice higher than needed to get the message across. "You don't know? How the hell did you get here then?"

He rolled his eyes. "As you might have noticed, I was not in the best state."

She opened her mouth to -without a doubt- reply with something rude when behind them the door opened again and TK almost ran into them. The blond blinked surprised.

"What are you still doing here?"

"Takuya forgot the way to his room." A lot of annoyance was added to this dry sentence. Takuya paid it no mind.

TK blinked again then shook his head. "Come back in. Harry is here."

Back inside Harry stood, with an armful of white objects, between the chaos of chairs and handing one of those vaguely familiar forms to Izzy, who eyed it with interest, but, strangely enough, did not show any sign of taking it apart to add every useless piece of detail to his database.

"What's that?" All eyes in the room swung to Takuya at his question, some confused, some amused.

"Those are your Digivices, aren't they?"Harry answered puzzled, "Lady Ofanimon sent us the data and we built them."

Takuya stared.

"Now that you mention it…," he trailed off. Those things really were their Digivices; just without any coloring. How had he not seen this before?

Harry handed one to Kari, who passed it along until Matt gave it to him and without much thought Takuya took it from him, more than a bit curious if it was any different from what it used to be like since it had no color.

The heavy device was cold in his hand and strangely lifeless; offering no reassurance or comfort. Its screen was filled with empty static; no symbol or partner.

It was nothing more than a piece of impersonal white metal.

"Woha- What the-!"

Or not.

Not really hearing surprised mumbling resounding through the room, Takuya watched fascinated as color spread over the D-tector, turning its surface black, the grip a bright crimson and leaving buttons in innocent white.

Takuya stared at it, a smile tugging on his lips. Even though it was still nothing more than a piece of machinery to him without his Spirits inside it was nostalgic seeing the original color theme of his D-tector again. Though that meant it didn't have Lady Ofanimon's upgrade, which could turn out problematic late on. But whatever; he could worry about that in the -far- future.

"That is cool!" Davis exclaimed exited, with the the very same spark Takuya somehow couldn't get to burn brightly right now. "Can I see it?"

"Sure." Grinning wicked, Takuya threw it in a high loop at him and Davis scrambled in his chair to not get hit or let it drop. On either his or Chibimon's head. And not to break it; not that it matters anymore, though.

"It is similar to out D3s," Ken observed, leaning closer to watch while Davis turned it around in his hands and compared it to his own.

"Seems like it," Tai admitted absently, not really looking and instead eying Takuya surprised. "Shouldn't you take better care of it? You finally have one. What if it broke?"

Oh crap.

Takuya swallowed uneasily, his eyes drifting –hopefully unnoticed- to Izzy, who suddenly had very great interest in his computer again, and then to Harry, who looked at him with badly hidden pity.

Damn him.

"What? Am I missing something here?" Tai asked suspiciously, catching the glances Takuya threw about.

The air became awkward and still. Every person and Digimon in the room pinned Takuya with varying looks, from suspicion to confusion to indifference.

Takuya did not return a single one.

Outside was much more interesting. Like how the sky had turned from grey to pale blue. Or how birds were flying from roof top to roof top. Really much more interesting.

"Izzy?"

At Tai's voice and a name other than his Takuya's eyes flashed across the room in a second and he noticed first with relief then with growing horror that everyone was watching the genius, shifting in his seat and not looking up, now instead of him.

Bad.

Very bad.

And the door was right behind him. He could be gone in just a second, but, damn, then they'd get even more suspicious and or persistent.

"Izzy?" Tai prompted again. With more pressure this time. It made Izzy look almost pleadingly at Takuya, which in turn shifted all eyes back to him again. Some glares came along now.

Damn.

He didn't want to talk about_ that. _

_It wasn't their business._

Takuya cleared his throat.

What to do? What to do? What could he tell them? What possible reason other than the truth could he have for not really caring about a Digivice specifically sent by Lady Ofanimon-

He turned to Harry in a random act of inspiration, wishing very much for the digital man to drop his stupid look of pity. "You said Lady Ofanimon sent those." He pointed at the white devices still in Harry's arms. "I though you couldn't make contact with her?"

Harry blinked once at the obvious change in subject, but then quickly put up a professional mask as he stared talking. "We got contacted again just shortly before Gennai pulled you out of the Digiworld and the connection still hasn't broken. Do you wish to talk to her? Lady Ofanimon expressed her interest in communication with you."

"I can talk to her?" Takuya spluttered, not really comprehending but still jumping at the chance.

Harry nodded smiling. "Normally it you would have to come to the castle, but I think we can make it so that Izzy's computer is sufficient, since you shouldn't go anywhere without protection."

Takuya grimaced.

But he had averted the crisis for now.

And what a crisis it could turn out to be. It depended on him and on them.

* * *

><p>Takuya, still unsure on his feet, knelt down next to Tai's bed so that he was able to see the screen of Izzy's laptop, which he had lifted of his knees grudgingly and for this conversation only. Because now he could actually see the screen as well while Takuya was going to talk.<p>

As they waited for the transmission to connect Izzy noticed Takuya's face no longer showed the obvious discomfort from just a few minutes before. That was good, but Izzy was not naïve.

Takuya might have managed to push the subject away, but it would only save his –and Izzy's- skin only for a day at most -if luck was helping. They all were going to be so angry, disappointed and a lot more.

Grey static cleared, making place for the head of a beautiful female angel Digimon, whose face was covered more than half by a cross marked, blue metal helmet.

A small smile was on the woman's lips.

"Lady Ofanimon," Takuya greeted and Izzy almost did a double take at the respect in his voice.

_"Takuya, child, it is a pleasure to see you are healthy, despite the circumstances,"_ Ofanimon replied with great care in her voice.

"Yeah, well I try. The others still aren't awake yet, by the way."

The angel nodded, smile falling of her face. _"We have been informed of your situation. I do apologize, we-"_

"It was our choice, Lady Ofanimon. You have nothing to apologize for. And this …state does have its advantages. Once I get used it, that is. We already paid our price and were fully aware that we won't ever be normal again. It's in the past now. Or is there something you can do?" His voice, flat throughout his speech, turned soft, insecure, at the end.

For a long while Ofanimon didn't answer; just simply looked at Takuya with an unreadable expression. Then she sighed. _"I do apologize, in this few days we have met no satisfying results. But if it is your wish, we are able to inform your parents. What shall be passed along?"_

"If you need to tell our parents something it really means that the difference with time between the human and digital world has disappeared, right? Since four years ago?" Lady Ofanimon gave a nod. This time Takuya sighed, a pained frown on his face and lips twisted in a sad smile. "Tell them… all of them that we are fine. And please also tell my parents that I won't come home…for some time."

_"As you wish."_

"And I noticed, Lady Ofanimon, that my D- tector has its original design. Can I –or Koji- use Hyper Spirit Evolution?" Jumping subject with practiced ease, Takuya wiped the vulnerable expression of his face and repalced it with helpless confusion. An expression Izzy was very familiar with; it was something Davis still showed sometimes.

But perhaps Ofanimon had expected this, because she quickly shook her head. _"No, and as of now it is still unconfirmed if it is possible at all with your physical change. Am I correctly informed that your circumstances concern Tommy?"_ At Takuya's nod she sighed again and Izzy understood her worry; for three of her six charges her support was too late. _"Then it possibly depends on if you are still able to separate from your Spirit-"_

"I can't."

Another sigh. _"I see. Then consequences might turn out to be similar to now. Fusing two solid beings, with multiple personalities in this case, might prove to be irreversible."_

"Damn."

_"Indeed, so please do not try it,_" she added as if she half expected him to do so.

"Yes, milady,"Takyua answered surprisingly stiff.

_"You do not need to address me as such, child."_

"Huh? As what? I just-…oh. Oh!" He grimaced annoyed. "This is more confusing than I thought." It was the first point Izzy could not follow in this conversation and made a mental note accordingly to ask later. Though he had a thesis of course.

_"It appears so,"_ Ofanimon replied a serene smile on her lips. _"I do not believe I need to inform you of this, but it will work out in time."_

Takuya shrugged.

_"I shall return to my duties then, child."_

"Yes, Lady Ofanimon. I seem to have to clear something up here, too." He threw an uncomfortable look into the room and to Izzy it was clear that he was not going to get away before answering some questions. "Good bye, Lady Ofanimon."

_"Stay save, child."_ Izzy doubted Takuya even heard her before the picture disappeared, seeing how his attention drifted to the door and how his face became carefully blank. But apparently Izzy wasn't the only one seeing through Takuya's intentions since Mimi stepped in front of his getaway, glaring. There was no escape.

Izzy was not entirely sure he was happy with that.

With the conversation ending Tai's room fell back into awkward silence and Izzy noticed only partly amused that Takuya's eyes hushed to the window now. He must really not like this; they were on the third floor after all. Izzy hoped though, that Takuya was not really considering to jump -no matter that Takuya was most likely going to survive and be fine, anyway-; he'd be stuck with explaining if Takuya escaped.

"So, Takuya," Tai began with a little false cheer, looking at the boy sitting on the floor just as Izzy pulled his computer back on his knees. "Mind explaining a few things. Or perhaps Izzy," he added with a stern look at him, which Izzy skillfully evaded by straining his eyes on the laptop's screen.

Takuya sighed and got up, not really meeting anyone's eyes even though they were all following him, and sat down on a chair vacated by Sora.

When he finally faced them his face was decorated by a smirk that didn't really reach his eyes. "What do you want to know," Takuya asked, likely not really meaning the amusement in his voice.

He had no intention of sharing freely, Izzy realized.

He carefully glanced back at Tai, who was frowning. Perhaps Tai had noticed, too. Then this could turn out rather bad. Depending on both side's reactions this could turn out to be a breakpoint between their two groups; without even scratching the topic of battle moral.

"For starters why you don't need your Digivice anymore. At all." Takuya's eyebrows shot up at Tai's thesis. "You don't, do you?"

This time, Takuya -hopefully- smiled for real. "No, I don't. Maybe never again."

"And why is that," Matt asked slowly. "Come to think of it, how is it possible that you just simply didn't need a Digivice to evolve? If you had had one before, it had to have served a purpose, right?"

Izzy swallowed hard, immensely grateful that no one was paying attention to him anymore. Takuya, though, fared much better than him, not sweating, not twitching, no emotion betraying his -at Matt's question- carefully blank face, which Izzy found surprising, considering that Tai or Davis would not have been able to do it in Takuya's situation.

Then suddenly Takuya's demeanor changed. He no longer looked at Matt, shifted around in is seat and chewed on his lip.

"Since I already evolved once without my D-tector, I don't need it... for evolution anymore. And, well, the D-tecor protected us from... pain."

"What pain?" Davis asked with inaapropriate interested. "Does evolving hurt or what?"

"It doesn't!" Chibimon piped up innocently, but Takuya's face went slack.

Suddenly Izzy didn't want to hear the answer to that. Facial data was always enough for him and in this case Izzy did not want to know the emotional facts behind the data running on his screen.

"Our evolution hurts." Takuya said. "Like hell. Like your body gets painfully stretched into the right form while your insides get pinned by millions of burning needles, ripped apart and set back together." He said this while glancing around the room and looking everyone in the eye with an empty expression.

Izzy felt sick.

Takuya snorted, grinning and leaning back in his chair and stretching his hands over his head in an exercise. "I was just kidding. You should see your faces. It hurts, yes, but not that much. I don't even know what getting burned feels like."

Izzy heard several people draw a sharp breath, but he didn't. He did not believe Takuya had been joking. There was no reason to. He was too much like Tai –or wasn't he?- to make this a joke.

"That wasn't funny," somebody said annoyed.

"I know it wasn't," Takuya answered, looking out of the window. He really hadn't been kidding. Oh god. "But you were all too serious. Something had to be done about that."

Had Takyau and Koichi known beforehand or did Izzy make them unknowingly torture themselves; because he had agreed, crafted the plan?

Takuya glanced at him for a second, smiling an honest smile.

They had known before. What kind of child does something like that voluntarily?

No. It wasn't voluntary. It was –to them- the last possible choice. An act born of desperation, then?

Did that make it acceptable?

No, it didn't, but Izzy still felt better somehow.

"Keep your mood changers to yourself," Matt snapped at Takuya, who held up his hands in surrender, not noticing Izzy's strange reaction at all.

"All right, all right, but do you have more pressing questions or may I be allowed to back to my room," he smirked, but spared an annoyed glance at Mimi, who was still blocking the door. "I still am sick, you know."

He didn't want to talk -enough to even play on guilt- and he had managed to avoid the hard point for now, Izzy noted still somewhat shaken, but it wasn't right; the others had to know, had to know what Takyua's group's personal stake was in this.

"But that can't be all your Digivice was good for," Izzy began, already hating how he force the matter, "it has a few other functions from what I can read of the data Gennai sent me."

Takuya's eyes flashed to him, wide and surprised, uncomprehending to what Izzy was doing. Good, if he didn't notice maybe he was going to slip up, without Izzy having to push further.

"If you say it like that, then sure, I still need it. I just meant it's no longer a matter of life and death weather I have it or not." Takuya's eyes definitely narrowed at him now and Izzy swallowed. Had he caught up to his idea? "Our D-tectors have special radar and communication functions, a compass and have an inbuilt scanner. It's the little red space on the top, Davis," he added -fakely?- amused, seeing how the other goggle head was still fingering the small machine.

"What's the scanner good for? That is the only thing ours can't do," Kari pointed out interested, leaning closer to Davis to get a better look and making the poor teen blush in the process.

Takyua grinned. "Give it to me, for a second." As the Digivice got passed along, he continued, "in our Digiworld a stream of data appears around defeated Digimon. We scan the data to purify it in our D-tectors, but I don't know the details behind that."

He took his digivice from Matt and shifted it once in his hand, before looking around with a cat like grin on his face and an almost scary sparkle in his eyes. "This", he said, holding his hand far in front of him for everyone to see, "is data we scan."

Stripes, colored in different blues or white, perhaps an inch long and a dozen in number, emerged, rotating in a circular fashion around Takuya's outstretched bare hand. Small, plae orange flames were burning between the loose strands of data, connectiong them to an instable ring.

The smile was wiped of Takuya's face the second his loose, needle like bits appeared, Izzy noticed absently while he, too, inspected the phenomenon to add its description to his data base.

"If that was all," Takuya exclaimed suddenly, jumping to his feet, "I'd really like to go back. When the others awake it would be best if I was there."

"Not yet." Takuya was already half out the door, when Izzy spoke up, surprised at the strength in his own voice.

As Takuya didn't turn around, he continued, "I don't think what you told us was everything your Digivice was able to do," Izzy knew for a fact that it wasn't all, "and what bothers me is this mention about a price," he knew about this as well, "and the way you talked about your situation in your conversation with Ofanimon. It was like you meant something other than being stranded in a different dimension. Please explain. We do have a right to know about this." With 'we' he meant his group of Digidestined and that was clear to both of them as Takuya turned around, blue eyes glaring.

"A right?" he echoed, his voice hard, "I think not. It doesn't concern you or this war." Suddenly the room seemed small as Takuya tilted his head and not once blinked as his -now really his, no longer borrowed- blue eyes bore into him.

"But I see that if I don't explain this, you will." Takuya closed his eyes and sighed, defeated. When he opened them they were in Takuya's natural light brown.

"Humanity," he said flatly, "I traded my humanity for the ability to fight without Digivice."

The door slammed shut behind him and his steps, resounding through the corridor, seemed deafening in the dead silence of Tai's room.

* * *

><p>Double City used to be one of the bigger and more prosperous towns in the Digital World, which was mostly due to the advantage of its location on a border between desert and forest.<p>

In typical digital world fashion the rich forest ended abruptly, as if it had been cut off, and a red desert began immediately, not ten feet away from the last green tree. The weather mirrored the cut and temperature rose from comfortable 25 degrees to a heat of over 45 degrees once one stepped over the nature given border.

Double City, having an equal amount of interest in both sides used the desert's extreme heat, the water of the forest and resources of both sides to evolve into a busy market with merchandise varying from simple clay pots or delicate pottery to exotic and rare fruits.

It was just outside of this city on the forest side, where Yolei and Sora quietly slid of Holsmon's back, down onto their knees to hide between high grass and plants growing beneath the countless trees. Piyomon and Hawkmon, after devolving, flew up into a tree, observing the now-ghost-town from another angle.

For an ambush or trap surrounding forest provided ideal hiding space.

It was for that reason that Sora and Yolei decided to approach the city from the very same direction to make sure that at least in the forest no enemies lingered when they met Shisamon.

And as far as Yolei could see, there were indeed none.

What not necessarily meant much, she conceded, remembering how Cody told them that the army just appeared out of nothing during their last mission, right in front of his eyes no less. Considering said ability Yolei almost wanted to drop this complicated and annoying precautious measures and just hope to whatever god there was that it just wasn't a trap. But then again, Yolei had to admit that she did not want to land in trouble –mortal danger would perhaps be more accurate- just because she had been too lazy to check. And that usually happened when one relied on luck.

Not to mention, of course, that Sora was present.

There was no way she would agree to walking in blind.

That, though, didn't stop Yolei from feeling absolutely stupid cowering behind trees and grass.

Especially since the one they were looking for had a lot in common with dogs. With no wind blowing –why was no wind blowing? The differences in temperature should always create at least a small breeze- the Shisamon would be aware of their presence within a few minutes.

If it had a dog's nose.

"Do you see something suspicious, Yolei?" The elder girl kneed beside her, a bandaged hand on the ground to balance her weight.

Yoilei replied a negative and looked up to their partners sitting in the branches above. Since they weren't looking down Yolei simply rammed her fist in the tree's trunk, hoping that the two birds would notice.

Both did and snapped their heads downwards in fear of any danger only to relax when they saw Yolei winking up at them.

She pointed at the city with a raised eyebrow expecting a positive or negative sign in return. She received an all clear.

So, without further ado, Yolei stood up, relieving her stressed knees from her weight in the process, and walked out of the shadows of the trees into a side alley of Double City.

* * *

><p>First of all i got to say, that I've been thinking about the conversation between Takuya and the Virtue Children ever since I started this story.<p>

I've played with a lot of possibilities: having Koichi or Tommy present, or having Izzy or a Gennai clone do the explaining with Takyua only sitting by and listening, or having Takuya react more openly to this subject. I actually wanted to write the last possibility, but it didn't work out somehow and looking back now I just can't see Takuya being open to or enjoy talking about it since it really is no jocking matter. And him staying to earn some pity or display his sadness/frustration/anger for all to see, somehow doesn't work out either. Especially not if Vitramon/ Agnimon have a say in this. Hence he left.

This is the chapter for June. Please review again. :)

Please do tell me what you think. This is a very important chapter with possibly great influence on future plot.


	21. Break

Chapter 20: Break

* * *

><p>The air seemed to vibrate with building tension even long after Takuya had left and the room fell into silence.<p>

A detached part of Izzy's brain wondered why no one had said anything yet and if they were all simply not finding their voice or waiting for some else to break the silence. Izzy himself belonged to the latter group since he had had considerably longer to come to terms with the younger boy's words and actions.

Surprisingly, or perhaps not, it was Kari who snapped the string keeping everyone quiet. "Humanity?" her voice was shaking. "What did he mean, Izzy?" Her eyes were wide and fearful and latched with guilt as her eyes searched for the resident genius to reap answers she was afraid to know.

Izzy sighed, tired, resigned, not really wanting to be the one doing the explaining even though it was him who breached the subject in the first place.

While he intellectually knew he did made the right choice in consideration to the future, it did not subdue his emotions or give him a clear direction as to what to say.

"Just what he said," he managed to press out after a while. 'Just what he said', indeed. There was nothing else Takuya could have said to bring his point across with so little words, no other word that could possibly have hit them harder with all the bitterness attached.

Izzy, though, made himself no illusions.

The bitterness was not because of the situation itself, but rather because Izzy - a stranger, a member of an other group, an outsider- had messed with business that wasn't his to discuss.

That was most likely how Takuya - Agnimon? Takuya and Agnimon? Or somebody new?- saw this situation.

"But he looked perfectly human to me." Davis said, confusion evident with his brows furrowed.

Harry cleared his throat. "Perhaps I should explain," he started, unsuccessfully trying to slip in a professional mode, "As, you said, Davis, Takuya does look human, and that fact isn't wrong yet, but only for the time being." He paused, a hand on his chin as he thought about a way to explain.

"You see, when Digimon enter the real world, their data manifests and becomes a copy of human flesh. But that is just it; digital data might look like flesh and have the same attributes, but it is not exactly the same. Data can never turn fully into original flesh, while at the same time flesh can never become the exactly same type of data the Digiworld is made of.

"When humans enter the Digiworld their flesh becomes data, but if you will, with a 'marker', an extra code, attached that ensures human data turns into flesh again when leaving the digital world. So in the end data is data and flesh is flesh. It is never exactly the same no matter how similar it is.

"And usually those 'markers' are impossible to remove or to create. Takuya and his friends, however, show on a digital translation failure on a molecular level.

"In other words, when Takuya returned from the Digiworld parts of his body failed to be reconverted into flesh and blood, remaining as data instead. It isn't deadly or dangerous, but the parts of his body that turned into data will never be his original flesh and blood.

"Takuya's digivice's most important function was to protect those 'markers' so that even during a fusion of a digital and human data it was guaranteed that the human data could be translated back into flesh and blood at any given time.

Not using a digivice, however, destroyed these 'markers' and will slowly, we are not sure about how yet, replace flesh and blood with the digital make up of Digimon.

"Sadly, the phenomena as an entirety is spread throughout his entire body. Now some of his cells are made of digital flesh while others are no different than before and luckily they work together just fine; but even though it is not life threatening it does not make the situation any less grave. At the moment it might only be a few million cells of billions, but with time, we think, his body's inner structure might become fundamentally different from a human's. Already we noticed in our analyses that more energy than normal is diverted to muscles and senses instead of some organs."

When Harry finished his explanation Izzy would have preferred not to take note of the emotions reflected on his friends' faces, but he had to. Not only because he could predict what would be directed at him soon, but also, because he needed to know the depth and direction of their reaction to promote cooperation between the two groups at a later point.

What he saw could have been worse, Izzy decided.

From confusion to anger to guilt to sadness.

"And there is no way of reversing the process," Izzy added, once he was more or less sure Harry's information had sunk in and his friends were ready to hear more. "Moreover, I think we have to be prepared for changes in attitude. Since he literally fused with one of his partners so it is only logical to think that their personalities did or still do the same."

All eyes flashed to him when Izzy raised his voice, making him feel like he had run into a brick wall when accusing, angry, guilty, pleading and sad glares sought his eyes.

It stopped his thinking processes dead and suddenly he felt so much more awful than before.

Because he couldn't reassure his friends, or say there was a way around it, or that it only sounded so bad, or that he hadn't known beforehand. Because he had known, in fact, and still agreed and helped. And he couldn't even say he didn't regret it, even though he should, because he had possibly allowed two children, two friends to commit an act that cut their future, hopes and dreams short.

Then Matt groaned, disarming all sparks rising in the air and stopping Izzy's emotional internal rant. "Just what we need. It wasn't like we didn't have any problems in the first place. Now we got a few teenagers with multiple personalities on top of all."

"I agree," Ken stated sternly.

"We have a problem. So, Tai, what do we do?" Mimi asked, serious for once.

The former goggle head cut a bandaged hand through his unruly brown hair, sighing. "Half of Takuya's group is still missing, the others unconscious and, if Izzy is right, he has to fight with a split personality. If Takuya himself isn't sure what he wants or who he is, we can't clear our … opposing opinions with each other's ... attitude.

"And we aren't in the best condition to act actively.

"So there really isn't much we can do. But Izzy," suddenly there was a sharp edge in Tai's eyes and voice, "you knew about this price from the beginning?"

It wasn't really a question, more a statement, but despite already knowing the answer Tai still dared him to confirm it true.

The air got thicker and the temperature in the room seemed to grow hotter, making Izzy wish to either leave or change out of the uncomfortable hospital robes, but despite the apparent heat a cold knot had settle in his stomach.

He swallowed, his fingers twitching in a nervous habit.

"When I came up with this plan," he began, thoughts no longer rattling a thousand miles a minute, "I had already promised not to talk about this matter to anyone but Gennai."

Silence.

Hard looks.

"They made me promise," he explained, almost pleading his friends to understand. "Takuya said they both wouldn't be reckless with and I would have never agreed to this if we hadn't been so pressed for time to save lives; Takuya's and Koichi's needed the additional strength.I made a strategy with the highest percentage of success possible under the circumstances.

"If I had told beforehand there was a possibility to be distracted by guilt or some of you would have just risked more to prevent the from fighting. But we couldn't risk more than we already did.

"Just look around, everyone, we are all in hospital as it is. Without Agnimon's assistance some of us might have died. On Cody's side even more so. There hadn't been another choice."

Izzy paused, taking a deep breath and swallowing. "I don't think we could have stopped Takuya anyway. He is too much like you and Davis, Tai. And it's his friends that are in danger. Do you think you would have stood by?"

A few still glared at him, Tai one of those, but the Digidestined of Courage averted his eyes after a moment. "I can't deal with this now. And Takuya has to say something in this anyway, he isn't exactly available, though."

* * *

><p>Yolei pressed her back to the cool stone of a house in whose shadow she was hiding. Sliding to the ground she pulled a small make-up mirror out of her pocked and angled it to watch around the building's corner.<p>

Yolei and Sora hid in a small alley along the main street of Double City after they had sneaked through half of the ghostly town in search of their contact already, carefully avoiding wide, free spaces in an attempt to remain undetected along the way.

So far they hadn't been found, hopefully.

Glancing in her mirror Yolei caught a glimpse of the empty street she and Sora had to cross to search the other half of the city. The broad street was leading from the forest part of the city deep into the desert part, almost cutting the entire town in half in the process. The street clearly showed the extreme contrast that marked this to city as well; until a few buildings down the road small plants and weeds grew between rough stones covering the ground, but further away all life on the ground died, leaving a sandy foothold for all the Digimon that used to fill this street.

Considering that even after spending hours in the city they still hadn't found their contact, Yolei thought of this entire affair as more than just a bit suspicious. Their smell should have carried throughout every street already and alerted every being with a sensitive sense of smell of their presence. That no one had come to them or moved to a place easily found was not inspiring confidence in this mission.

Still, both girls agreed that retreating was not an option. Yet.

While they hadn't found anything friendly, nothing dangerous crossed their path yet either, after all.

Pocketing the small mirror Yolei gave a nod to Sora and hushed across the street with Hawkmon in her arms.

As she ran out of the protective shadow in the blazing sun a sudden chill made the hairs on her arms stand, a shiver run down her spine, a cold hand grasp for her heart and her knees weak.

Then it was over.

In a new shadow in a new alley Yolei sank to the ground, shaking, her breath flat.

She was sweating profoundly despite the cool temperature in the shadow and cold stone to her back. Silently she let Hawkmon leap from her arms; he not faring any better than her with his fathers standing on end much like a cat's.

She so dearly wanted to pass it of as her imagination, forget, get on with their work, chalk it up to her questionable health.

As Sora slumped down next to her looking much like Yolei felt, however, she knew she couldn't.

Not run from it, not hide, not forget, not stall, not ignore.

"We were seen," Yolei stated unnecessarily, her breath easily returning to normal, now that the sudden fright has passed.

She saw Sora nod from the corner of her eyes while she hugged her arms around her shaking form.

Once she had stopped her limps from moving unwanted it was easy to shake off the horror, fear and terror the sudden killing intent had inspired within her with an ease practiced and gained from her adventures. Unwillingly she noted just how much it had affected her in the first place to inform the others later.

If she survived.

Again.

Yolei hadn't been faced with such malicious blood lust since BelialVamdemon.

That was not an encouraging thought.

"We should retreat."

"Yeah."Yolei's unsaid 'we won't', was quite clear, because, seriously, if someone with strength -or at least lust for destruction- comparable to a crazy wanna-be tyrant was present there was no way they'd be able escape if the Digimon wanted them dead. Not with only the two of them.

"It still hasn't attacked us," Sora mentioned like it was rather unimportant; like the weather or something and Yolei felt respect for her senior bloom anew.

"Where is it anyway?" Yolei glanced around as if it could be standing just there with them.

"No idea. In the air, maybe? I only felt it watching us when we were uncovered on the street."

"Who was it?"

No answer, which Yolei interpreted as another blank, then Sora straightened, getting to her feet. "We should hurry. The faster we get what we came for, the sooner we can worry about getting away."

"Agreed." Yolei leaned against the wall as she rose from her knees.

She ignored Hawkmon's disapproving look, while it seemed like Pyiomon didn't keep her worries to herself. "Are you sure, Sora," the little bird asked, worried, "Izzy said we should get away when we have problems."

"Well, sadly it wouldn't be the first time his advices got misinterpreted."

They started carefully moving down the alley, looking through every window along the way and watching their surroundings with refined alert. Yolei never once let her eyes leave the blindingly bright blue sky for more than a second.

She may be used to life-threatening situations and she may be able to clean intimidating influence out of her system, but adrenaline was still coursing through her body like she had just escaped from an axe to the head.

Then again, maybe she had.

Creeping around a corner Yolei was still overly alert to her surroundings. She took in the patterns of stone on the floor and committed them to her memory, the rustling of leaves in the forest, the dry sound of sand brushing over hard ground and wind hollowing through deserted streets.

A peaceful contrast to all the other bloody and violent scenes she had memorized in an adrenalin ruled state. Perhaps she would dream of stoned mosaics now in her nightmares. It wouldn't be too bad, she decided.

That was if she ever got to dream again, mind you.

As she reached an corner leading to a narrow side way, a shallow movement in the alley caught her eye and her head snapped in its direction so fast she almost strained a muscle.

The side alley had green vines climbing pale grey walls of stone with thick leaves swaying in the wind, which made their shadows hush across the ground.

A sigh of relieve left her.

Hawkmon, walking at her feet still noticed her sudden movement and looked up alarmed, but Yolei simply shook her head and continued walking.

Passing the green plants Yolei forced her mind to focus even more on her task.

Because it wouldn't do to jump in fright at the smallest movement of a sand grain; it would over strain her nerves, make them fail her when she needed them most - which was most likely sooner than she wanted – , set her comrades on edge, inevitably pulling them down with her, and it would compromise her judgment.

If she was afraid, she'd turn and run even though it perhaps wasn't necessary.

If she was agitated, she wouldn't be able to find the best possible solution.

But that was exactly what was needed. The stakes were too high for anything else.

And Yolei hated it.

She hated to fight; be it for her survival or the entire world's.

She hated violence and spilling blood, the desperation and hate involved. She hated to see too much weight fall onto her friends' shoulders; a weight that increased with every battle fought, every live lost, every plea for help, every failure and every disappointment.

Still, she fought, her friends fought, because if they didn't others would or wouldn't. Others weren't as skilled as them, not as prepared, not as experienced, not as strong.  
>Simply not good enough to end everything as fast as possible with as little danger as allowed.<p>

And if no one else would fight she'd have to fight anyway; be it only to protect her own life.

How ironic it all was in the end. Fighting to protect other people's innocence while she herself stamped all over her own. Fighting for peace while she herself would never be able to find any; not with with digital blood on her hands and dying lights of live imprinted into her memory.

But it was the only way. No matter how much she hated it.

Glancing down at Hawkmon Yolei also knew she'd never want to disappoint him. Her partner, who believed in her and who has waited eons just to simply meet her.

Her thoughts turned brighter. Because it is for him, she fights, and for her friends, who she doesn't want to burden with her duty and fate.

And again, she hated fighting.

It made so easy to forget where she came from and her she wanted to go and why she even walked.

"Yolei," Sora whispered, in an awfully quiet voice, "what is that?"

Not trusting her voice to remain quiet as quiet as Piyomon's as the little bird asked what her partner had seen, Yolei instead turned around, trying not to let emotional pressure influence her actions.

Sora, after she had gestured the Digimon to be quiet, stood pressed against the wall to glance through a window Yolei had just passed –damn her inattention- with great caution and Yolei followed her example by carefully throwing a quick look inside.

To her credit inside the rather rundown and simple room was nothing glaring obviously for attention. At least not as far as Yolei noticed.

Inside the room was what probably was one of many digital equivalents of a human table, build of the same grey stone the house was made of; a knee high deposit for all kinds of stuff. Glancing inside again Yolei identified something that was probably made of wood with a size of her head lying on the stony table. Next to it laid small sticks and different sized rods, some gleaming in metallic light.

In a corner to Yolei's right were big wooden cubes stacked until they almost reached the ceiling. On the wall opposite the window she was glimpsing through a plain cupboard was overflowing with half burned candles.

She realized she was looking into a workshop.

But while that was interesting it was not something to point out.

"I don't see anything," she whispered to the taller girl, confused.

Sora put a finger to her lips and waver the other fanatically. Yolei nodded, acknowledging; not that she had much more to say anyway.

Rising to her tiptoes Sora glanced inside, looking at something apparently directly below it. As soon as Yolei understood that, it was no longer a surprise that she had seen nothing when she had looked inside; Sora was taller and saw everything from a higher angle, so she could see things that were just barely hidden from her.

Reaching to the window's rim with her hands, Yolei pushed herself on her toes to catch a glimpse of what was so important.

* * *

><p>First of all, i have to apologize. This chapter is not as long as the others.<p>

The second part of this chapter was rather hard to write. To me, describing is the hardest part of writing and i often wonder if i gave enough details to create a picture or if i overloaded the description with unimportant, little things that no oner remembers anyway. And i can't allow the tension to drop during it either.

Other than that i hope i made understandable what happened to Takuya, Koichi and Tommy. If you didn't understand the explanation let me know so i can try to make it clear.

Please review again and thank you for last chapter's replies.

Finally i got one rather sad warning to give. I will not have any time during the second half of July and the first half of August so it might be possible that i won't manage to finish a chapter next month. But don't worry, in case i really can't make it, September's chapter will be extra long.


	22. Spreading Cracks

Chapter 21: Spreading Cracks

* * *

><p>Yolei's eyes widened as she caught sight of a mass of white and pink fur lying just below the window. It was curled up into a small ball and seemingly absolutely unaware of everything and anything around it; even staring at it from just a few feet away.<p>

"What's it still doing here?" She mouthed to her companion and Sora shook her head quietly in return.

An evacuation order had been given out to go into hiding after all; other than them, a scary Digimon with killing intent and Shisamon no one and nothing should be left in this city. There was after all no reason whatsoever to remain in a deserted city void of any other life and provisions. Except-

"Maybe it's hurt!" She whispered, rising to her tiptoes and looking inside again.

Yolei saw a pink tail twitched back and forth in a nervous tact and even with her limited vision from the window she saw the body moving in paced deep breaths, dispersing dust and dirt from the ground it was lying on. Now that she listened closely she heard it, too.

Quickly scanning the room for a door or an entrance or something similar, Yolei decided that there was no way she could not help if the Digimon was hurt. Or if there was something else she could do to help it.

As long as it didn't attack them, of course.

"Hawkmon," she addressed her partner, lifting him of the ground to save him from creating unnecessary noise by flapping his wings, "please check up on it."

"Will do Yolei," he answered back as he hopped on the window's ledge.

"But be careful."

Hawkmon nodded and Yolei found it kind of strange that the Digimon inside still hadn't visibly acknowledged them. They were only a wall apart, after all, and whispering too boot.

Hawkmon spread his wings and glided gracefully down to the floor on the inside, creating no noise like a hawk on hunt and even though he did land only a few feet away from the dog Digimon it didn't react.

She traded a look with Sora and saw her worry mirrored, paired with more than just a bit of suspicion. Piyomon down at their feet picked up on it and stiffened, readying herself for action.

That change would be worst case, though.

Inside Hawkmon hoped closer and closer to the Digimon with deliberate slowness and just enough grinding of his claws against the stony floor to create noise the Labramon's fine ears should be able to pick up without a problem. And its ears did twitch. But nothing else, causing Hawkmon to suspect it was just an instinctive reaction; that it was most likely unconscious, not sleeping, because Digimon like the Labramon or even himself were based off data from hunters. And hunters were not unaware of their surroundings if they didn't want to become the prey instead.

It was programmed inside their data. There was no way around it.

So either the Labramon was forcibly unconscious, or it was faking.

Both cases would spell trouble. One meaning there was an attacker nearby, the other that the attacker was right in front of him.

Hawkmon was now within his wing's reach of the Digimon and he could still not see a wound or blood.

Aware of his partner's eyes following and watching him Hawkmon moved to touch the Labramon.

* * *

><p>He hadn't given up.<p>

No, not at all.

He just didn't care anymore. Or couldn't care.

Which it was didn't matter.

In the end it was all the same.

Him. Those surrounding him.

It was all the same anyway.

* * *

><p>It was like a blur. So fast, that Yolei didn't even have time to blink even as her heart had already frozen to a tight knot.<p>

One second Hawkmon was poking the white and pink dog in the side the next her partner was sprawled on the ground with the dog standing over him, fletching his teeth.

Gasping for breath, she gripped her Digivice harder. It stared glowing and Yolei didn't even need to think about which evolution to choose. It was inside a house. "Digimental up!" she screamed, hoping to draw the white Digimon's attention to her; away from Hawkmon.

Away from her partner, who she didn't want to send fighting, who she didn't want to see hurt.

Light exploded from Hawkmon's form still lying on the ground.

It was blinding, especially in the limited space of a small room, but she managed not to avert her eyes, even though it brought tears to them. Fear kept them in place; fear for Hawkmon. The fear that always clawed at her heart and soul when she saw him throw himself head first into a fight. To protect her. Fear that still sometimes nailed her in place, making her unable to move. Fear that was steadily disappearing.

A part of her wondered what would be left of the day she finally lost that fear. A monster? An empty shell? She didn't want to find out.

Yolei watched a dark shadow that she knew was the enemy Digimon jump away from her partner and land in a crouch on all fours in a far corner of the little room.

"Bursting Purity …. Shurimon!"

Shurimon took form as the light ebbed away, bladed stars at his hands spinning wildly, while he took position in front of the window, blocking her view, in his typical protective fashion.

She didn't see anything other than Shurimon's back, but her partner must have seen something that made him tense even more.

"Are you Chosen Ones?" The voice was weak, without any real energy behind it, but it was also harsh and demanding. At any other time Yolei would have been impressed that it was possible be both at once.

"Who wants to know?" Surimon asked, not moving from his spot at all, making it impossible for Yolei and Sora to catch a glimpse of anything other than the shuriken stored on her partner's back, Yolei noticed Sora holing her Digivice in preparation for when the battle left the confined walls of the house. Piyomon had no small evolutions after al,l which was without a doubt terribly frustrating for the other pair.

"Behind you," the enemy Digimon grunted out, "I took it from the control room. From right under their noses." There was a definite smugness hidden in that statement and the silence following it had something definite.

"Are you saying," Sora asked, catching on and pushing Shurimon an inch to the side to let them see again, "that you are Takuya's friend?"

The Digimon gave a grunt that could mean anything.

Choosing to interpret it as a confirmation Sora continued, "we were informed that you choose a Shisamon for help."

They were met with an impressive are-you-stupid look for a Digimon.

"This is a Labramon," the other informed them, gaining more strength with each word, but amazingly Yolei could almost see a sneer in his voice after only few seconds of conversation, "I devolved from Shisamon to save energy. You wouldn't know, but this controlling is exhausting."

"I see," commented Sora, appearing all relaxed now. "We got a message from Takuya for you, by the way. He said to sit back and wait to get rescued."

The Labramon looked at them unblinking for a second before he answered, giving them another _look. _"Tell him 'no thanks. I'd like to be out of there before I'm all old and wrinkly.'"

Yolei breathed a sigh of relief.

"So what do you have for us?"Sora asked, now dropping fake cheerfulness for a hard look of seriousness.

Labramon, not moving a step, nodded in a suspiciously human way in their direction. "The small box there. The control room was heavily guarded and it was a pain to get it out of there. Don't mess this up."

Was he talking down to them?

Yolei ignored him, instead trying to get look at what the boy was talking about, but the window was too high up for her to see anything that small below it on the inside.

"I don't see anything," she mumbled frustrated, "can you pick it up Shurimon?"

Only very reluctantly did Shurimon move and even then only in a way that allowed him to keep an eye on the Labramon and only after said Digimon moved to lick his paw. Must be a strange thing to do with his human mind.

Suddenly the Labramon made a noise sounding awfully close to a human snort. "I won't attack you," he said, freezing Shurimon his tracks, "just now that was your mistake. Sneaking up on me like that."

Yolei frowned. "We weren't sneaking. You got dog ears, don't you?"

Labramon eyed them with cold detachment. "In situations like this it is still common sense to try talking first; if you don't know who is an enemy and who not. Not to mention that what I'm doing here is naturally much more complicated than it looks to you. Especially if I want to return to my body."

He was talking down to them.

Yolei ignored it only with some effort this time as Shurimon shoved a black box in her face. She took it from her partner and inspected it with some interest, not really having expected something so small. The rectangular box wasn't cold to her touch and fit comfortably in her hand, similar to her Digivice. It was heavy and hard, likely made of something akin to metal while its surface was smooth and unscratched, with only a tiny hole the size of her thumb nail providing s hint to what it the box could hold.

She was no Izzy, but Yolei had some experience with computers and knew an access point when she saw one.

This thing held information, she mused, handing it to Sora so that the elder girl could take a good look at it as well.

"You are amateurs." A statement. A disappointed estimation.

Yolei's head shot up from her observation to look at Labramon who looked at them with an unreadable expression. Hawkmon, having devolved, hopped down from the window, gliding down to her feet, joining Piyomon, but it was clear that both Digimon were listening intently.

"Wha-"

"Not just letting your guard down, but also turning your back on a possible enemy and giving up your advantage without any real prove of if I am who I say I am. I could be lying. Codes can be broken by a lucky guess, previous information or betrayal. You got lucky this time, because I'm not an enemy, but luck won't last.

"Takuya must have misread you," there was something hidden in that statement, but Yolei was too distracted by her bubbling emotions to take notice of it, "if he thought you'd be able to handle this situation without his help. You are amateurs, right? They, in contrary to half prepared fools, can learn." He said the last sentence downright mockingly.

Shifting his weight he licked another paw, not even gracing them with another look, ignoring the shocked silence following his words and seemingly talking to himself as he continued. "Not to mention that you are pretty much standing in broad daylight with who knows what stalking through the streets. Even you must have noticed it. Either way, lucky again. Whoever is out there has either no interest in you, hasn't found you yet or is still waiting for a better time." He got up and stalked a few steps in their direction. Yolei automatically retreated from the window.

Labramon's words hurt. She clenched her fists, glaring, angry tears stinging in her eyes.

"Anyway you should go. You have what you came for. I'll wait a few minutes and then start a diversion to give you some space. God knows you'll probably need it."

"Wha-", she swallowed, unable to form a straight thought or simply comprehend what the boy hidden behind a Digimon had just accused them of.

How dare he? He didn't know the first thing about them. How dare he judge, just because they still had hope, trust and love.

Labramon just jumped fluidly through the window, which was just wide enough to for him to pass, sniffed the air and the ground, then froze.

Yolei only saw a dark flash before a hard shockwave blew her down the alley.

Landing painfully on the hard ground, with dust and dirt invading her lungs, making her struggle for air, Yolei fought with the shock and sudden fear overtaking her senses. She rubbed her eyes, which cleared quickly tanks to the tears had suppressed earlier. At that time her brain caught up and she jerked her head around for any sign of what had attacked her, but her priorities were quickly set straight when a deep red speck of color twitched right next to her.

She picked Hawkmon up, who only blinked a few times before climbing out of her protective hold with strong movements.

She let him go reluctantly.

"What happened?", she whispered, her voice fearful.

Yolei coudn't see far, even after she cleaned her glasses. Dust floated in the area, obscuring everything from sight, but a quick glance around made her guess that she was still on the same street she had been before, only further down.

Sora wasn't in sight.

"Labramon was attacked", Hawkmon replied, taking fa few steps towards the dust cloud. "We have to flee, Yolei. It was Phelesmon."

Yolei swallowed. "But we don't know where Sora and Piyomon are. And that Labramon, too."

"Yes", agreed her partner, "but we can't win if we fight. Probably."

Sora had Garudamon, but there was no guarantee that they were really dealing with only an Ultra Level. And she didn't know if Sora was fine.

Either way they needed a diversion.

"Do you think you can evolve two times?"

Hawkmon nodded.

"Good. First we need Aquilamon to blow away the dust, and then Holsemon. He is faster."

"Hit and run, is it?"

"Yes,"Yolei agreed, " we-"

Suddenly a strong wind picked up and Yolei covered her eyes, when she looked again she had full view of the alley ans the sky above where Birdramon flapped her great wings.

"Only Holsmon, now," Yolei mumbled almost to herself as she made Hawkmon evolve.

* * *

><p>Drifting.<p>

Floating.

She didn't know.

But she was aware that she had no control at all.

Over nothing at all.

So as she drifted everything disappeared. Slowly. Perhaps painfully, but she was no longer aware of it.

Just that everything faded away. The memories she couldn't remember, the body she couldn't move, the mind that was oblivious to everything, the emotions that she had possessed once upon a time.

_Thump._

_Thump._

She heard it. Heard it. Ever repeating itself. Never pausing.

_Thump._

But it, too, faded.

_Thu-_

She didn't care that it stopped. Not anymore. Not about anything as she drifted away.

It didn't matter. Because she was no longer able to care with a heart that has long since been silenced or with a spirit that had been sucked out of her so slowly she never noticed how.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. It hadn't always been.

But it was too late.

_Thump._

A last time.

* * *

><p>"…..I guess it's possible," Izzy admitted with a sigh in response to Tai, who had done some thinking after the others had left his room following their disastrous conflict with Takuya. "But then -"<p>

Izzy stopped abruptly as a bright light erupted form the screen of his laptop, which, for once, was not being worked to death by the red haired genius, as he had opted to put it away during their discussion. A gate was also set up and Tai guessed Izzy didn't want to get burried below Yolei and Sora once they returned, which apparently was now.

Following a dulled thud Tai recognized a familiar scene of tangled limps and instinctively he tried to get up to sort the mess out, but winced in pain as he tried moving his back. Being hurt sucked.

As it turned out, though, help wasn't needed at all when Yolei jumped up not a second later.

"Hey," he greeted with a grin and a wave of his hand, incredibly relieved to all four had come back conscious and not bloody, as far as he could see. "How did-"

The words died on his lips when he saw Sora's expression as she lifted herself of the ground. It was a mix of hollow mortification and sadness. Automatically his eyes swung to Yolei who had her back turned to him, but he noticed her shoulders shaking, and her head turning from left to right in search of something.

Obviously she didn't find what she was looking for, since she turned around to him, tears spilling and face set in rage.

"Where is he," she hissed venomously, voice shaking and close to a whisper with fury.

Tai was too perplexed to answer.

"Where is he," she repeated and as Tai failed to reply again she checked out his room once more. Izzy, Mochimon, Koromon and him apparently weren't 'him', so she stormed out, Hawkmon following behind, the door crashing loudly close.

Tai blinked.

Facing Sora Tai's mind tried without success to come up with an explanation as to what had happened, when they, both along with their partners, were well enough to be enraged.

Sora was taking time dusting her clothes off and freeing her hair from sand grains. Her eyes were shadowed by strains of her reddish hair. Piyomon sat on the ground, miserably staring at her clawed feet.

Tai shared a look with Izzy, who gave him a raised eyebrow in return, though he already had pulled his laptop back within arm's reach.

"Sora? Piyomon?" He began discreetly after a few minutes had passed and nothing had changed. It was worrying on a whole different level from what he was used to.

Sora stopped fiddling around with her clothes, trying to get rid of dust that no longer there and gave an exhausted sigh. Still not looking up she reached into a pocket of her jeans and pulled a small black box out. It was about as large as a lighter.

Handing it to Izzy with shaking hands Sora pulled in a deep breath. "It's what ….. Takuya's friend gave to us," she explained quietly. "Don't know what it is, though."

Izzy immediately eyed the box with great interest, leaving Tai to deal with everything else.

"Excuse me," Sora said, almost stumbling over her feet to reach the door. "I'm tired. I'll go rest." She was not fooling anyone, but Tai let her go. He twisted his neck, trying to catch a better glimpse of Piyomon, who was still sitting on the floor, apparently oblivious to everything else. Either she didn't notice Sora leaving or she didn't want to follow.

It was disturbing.

Her feathers were standing on end, making her look extremely close to a pink snowman and she made a strange noise every few seconds, which, Tai realized with startling shock, were her equivalent of sobs.

Their partners hadn't cried even at the most extreme circumstances he could remember.

Something cold settled in the pit of his stomach.

"Tai," Piyomon squeaked; it sounded so broken. His sense of foreboding intensified. "Are we too weak?"

He swallowed, pressing all his concerns and questions, cursed and hasty denials to the back of his mind in favor of plastering a confident mask with a gentle smile on his face.

"No," he answered confidently, "you aren't weak. I don't know what happened, but none of us are weak." Tai hoped so very much his words reached her. "Don't think so." He smiled encouraging." But don't you want to go to Sora? I'm sure she would like your company."

Just like that the little bird's head shot up and she fluttered to the door, waiting for Izzy to open it as she couldn't do it herself.

So she hadn't noticed Sora leave.

Izzy closed the door behind her and when he turned to face Tai again he had a blank expression on his face.

"What?"

"Nothing," Izzy replied tiredly, "but I have a bad feeling about this."

Tai sank sighing deeper into the pillows supporting his back. "Me too."

He almost feared hearing about what had happened.

* * *

><p>Takuya sat on his bed in the room he shared with Tommy and Koichi staring at the opposing wall with empty brown eyes.<p>

After Takuya had left the other Chosen Children a few hours ago he had noticed his perception and thoughts of everything were rather off. Or strange. Different anyhow. In a very confusing way. It was as if he had two minds, which was technically true, but 'his' multiple minds had been neatly separated before, sharing real thoughts only when wanted or needed.

Now not so much anymore.

Back with the others he had had two vastly different opinions of the same thing at exactly the same time.

It was very confusing and would without a doubt give Takuya much trouble in the future if it didn't change. Particularly in battle; what if one half thought left while the other thought right? It'd be laughable and Takuya was determined not to let it happen.

Not to mention he already had a splitting headache.

Combat, though, was the main reason he currently sitting still in a hospital bed doing nothing. For hours.

Because he was trying to get his mind stuck as one.

He had not been successful in any way.

But his headache was getting better since both minds were thinking the very same thing.

How very damn bored he was.

So it was not all that surprising when, resting in a comfortable bed with little noise around, he dozed off. Especially considering how tired he was.

What was surprising, however, was when he slept with a frown on his face and woke up more annoyed and bored than he ever remembered feeling.

Though, thinking about his dream, it was only natural.

Takuya slipped out of bed and walked over to his friends' beds, checking up on them. Not that he thought something was going to happen to them, but Takuya was, quite frankly, going to go insane if he didn't lose his boredom soon.

Having who knows how many years of staring at the very same stone wall inside a dark chamber squashed into a few minutes of dreaming could do that to you. If he ever got home he was never going to complain about school again. In comparison that was as exciting as things come.

Which, in turn, was a really sad thought and totally off subject.

He blinked once when he stepped to the window and sunlight hit him straight in the eyes. Turning away he chose to sit down on one of the room's chairs instead of lying in his bed.

But Takuya was still bored.

A quick look at Koichi proved that his comrade was sadly still not awake or even remotely present, seeing how the Beast Spirit of Darkness still sat on Koichi's pillow.

Well then, what to do? He was stuck in a hospital. In a world different from his own. Friends either knocked out or kidnapped. And he had parted on a bad note with the go-to people.

Just great.

He wanted home.

Suddenly his eyes began swimming and he rubbed them, pushing the depressing thoughts away.

He had no right to complain.

And he didn't want to either, because Koji would snort dismissively and turn away, pretending to ignore him but in reality only give him some privacy; Zoe would first tease him if she caught him like this, proclaiming how cute she thought it was that he cried; Tommy would get sad too, because he always missed his parents and brother and because he really was too young for all that what was happening; JP would offer him chocolate and try to give him a reassuring speech, which he always overloaded with jokes making them a complete failure in the speech department; Koichi would shuffle around awkwardly at the rand of his vision indecisively and then opt to just stay there, always just within sight.

Takuya mumbled a curse to the un-responding room, rubbing his eyes angrily and this time forcefully and definitely pushed all thoughts away.

He reminded himself where he was and what he had to and who the hell was responsible for taking away their peace in the first place.

He didn't know the latter yet, but he was going to find out and make them pay.

Leaning back in the chair he let his thoughts drift in the encouraging department of vengeance. Never mind that revenge actually wasn't his style.

After who knows how much time he heard soft knock and the door swung a slit open, revealing a brown mop of hair.

* * *

><p>Writing Koji was fun. Because he pretends not to care about people he is terribly harsh and offending to those he doesn't know, not sugar coating anything. That was fun to write, though as it is he could have hardly picked a worse timing to be so offending.<p>

I know i'm mean to cut Double City's happenings off like this again, but it makes more sense to do so for the long run. Sorry.

I created a poll about Gatomon; if i (big maybe; i still got no idea) choose to let Gatomon reach mega what Digimon do you want her to turn into? Into the classic Ophanimon or HolyDramon (from the first 02 movie)?  
>I remembered that polls need time so i decided to better start now then just a chapter before i actually need to know the result. Please vote to let me know which one you'd prefer.<p>

This is the chapter for August.

please review and thank you for last chapter's.


	23. Between Being and Not

Chapter 22: Between Being and Not

* * *

><p>There.<p>

Here.

Everywhere.

Nowhere at all.

The same and yet not at all.

Double and yet not.

Everything was blurring into one.

* * *

><p>Kari leaned against the white walls of the hospital; Gatomon perched on her shoulder, two sets of brown and blue eyes staring down the corridor, tracking an enraged girl and a red bird struggling to keep up with her until they disappeared around a corner.<p>

Neither Yolei nor Hawkmon had noticed them standing there; right next to the door they emerged from and Kari, momentarily stunned by her friend's state, hadn't called out to her. As the stomping of Yolei's feet faded into the depth f the hospital as well, Kari decided to leave it at that, since she didn't think she was able to give comfort to anyone else right now anyway; her own thoughts still jumbled back and forth form what she had overheard just minutes before.

Kari took a deep breath, twirling Gatomon's tail around a finger to calm down.

It did some good and she her thoughts caught up with the situation just as Sora pushed tentatively the door of her brother's room open, eyes cast downwards and face shadowed in a way Kari had never seen on her friend's face before.

Sora didn't notice her either, strolling aimless past her. Piyomon was no where in sight.

Kari begged to all gods she knew that the worst case didn't happen as she hurried to Sora's side and put a hand on the older girl's shoulder to get her attention. It was frightening she needed to do so in the first place. More so than with Yolei.

"Are you all right?"

The question was utterly meaningless; everyone with eyes could see that Sora wasn't, but the words served to pull Sora out of her own despairing little world, showed her that someone cared, directer towards the present from; away from whatever bothered her.

The redhead glanced at her once quickly and Kari caught a glimpse of eyes full of tears just waiting to spill, before Sora quickly looked down again, her frame shaking.

"Come on, let's sit down somewhere." Putting an arm around the girl's shoulder she led her down the corridor to a small public room with few chairs, windows and a round simple desk and pushed her to sit down, handing her a tissue from a box on the table.

Gatomon slid into her lap as she sat down, trying to be of some help to her older sister figure without success.

"Sora!"

Piyomon fluttered gracelessly and just short of hysterical with concern into the small room hugging her partner before she even stopped flying.

At the sight of the pink bird something hard Kari hadn't noticed before melted, leaving her terribly relieved.

Suddenly nothing seemed as hopeless as before; even Sora finally showed a sign of getting better as a watery smile appeared on her face when she hugged her partner and tears fell into pink feathers.

There was still hope.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kari asked quietly after some time, despite not really being sure that she wanted to know. Because Piyomon was alive something else must have happed. Something bad to make Sora break.

The redhead hiccupped and wiped her face with a tissue again, leaving her eyes swollen and red.

"We went to Double City," Sora began shakily, "and everything was fine. We were just about to come back, when we were attacked. By a Phelesmon. It targeted the Labramon and we…"

* * *

><p>Sora dug her hands in Birdarmon's warm feathers, fear battling against her sense of duty as she caught sight of the scene in the streets below her; Labramon pressed against the ground, Phelesmon standing over him, a claw extended and reaching for the helpless Digimon and closing around his neck.<p>

Yolei stood in a safe distance, looking up at her.

Sora didn't know, if this Phelesmon was real or if it was a Murmuxmon, and even though she barely managed to keep her hands from trembling it was clear what she had to do. Personal wishes hardly ever mattered as a Digidestined.

And because it was the same for everyone light flashed up; Holsmon speeding down the alley so fast his form almost blurred as Sora gripped her Digivice harder, initiating the next evolution without a seed of doubt in her mind.

"Birdramon cho-shinka!"

Birdramon's body shifted and grew under Sora's hands and she leaned carefully back, adjusting her hold on her partner, balancing her weight even as feathers turned to rough skin within seconds and every cell under her finger tips was brimming with unused power.

"Garudamon!" When the evolution's light faded Sora at on Garudamon's shoulder, holding tight onto thick strands of her Partner's yellow hair while below on the streets Holsmon's blades were glowing in red energy as he lounged to attack, cutting everything in half what came past him, leaving no space to doge in the narrow alley.

Phelesmon jumped to escape, evading the attack by far, but putting a decisive distance between itself, Labramon, Holsmon, Yolei and even the city.

A beginners mistake to leave cover behind, but it hadn't been left a choice.

They knew that and Garudamon had been waiting for it.

"Shadow Wing!" Fire stored in her partner's wings took form, raced through the air and impacted with Phelesmon in midair, making a grey flower of smoke cloud the air.

Avoiding to let her vision be limited by the remains of her own attack, Garudamon steered down towards the ground to regroup with their teammates for this mission and prepare for a counterattack, but seconds later a shout of triumph broke from her lips when a black, burned body crashed to the ground streets away.

Setting foot on the ground with the help of one of Garudamon's large hands, Sora watched Labramon rise to all fours fluidly.

Any words she might have wanted to say ware forgotten when Labramon's gaze met hers.

"What are you doing?" He growled, an frighteningly animalistic gleam in his eyes and rage dripping from his voice."What the hell are you doing?"

Sora swallowed, feeling small and weak and like a child doing something wrong.

"Run! God damn it, run! You got what you came for, so what are you still doing here?"

There was silence for a second, then Yoei exploded."What we are still doing here? How about saving your life?"

"You idiots! You can't save me! Do you think that thing is the only enemy around here? Because of what you did they'll all come scrambling here now! Flee already!"

"No one is here yet!"

"Yes! So what are you still doing here? Do you want to make this all a waste?"

Yolei glared, but Sora had already devolved Garudamon, not liking what she heard but agreeing none the less and climbed on Holsmon's back behind her friend, stuffing Piyomon between them.

Labramon ran down the streets first. He did look back once to check if they were following or which direction to take, but, looking at his behavior so far, Sora assumed he knew where he was going. It occurred to her that the direction he was leading might not lead them to a portal, however she didn't speak up. They needed to get out of the city first anyway.

A sharp left and an alley so narrow that Holsmon's blades cut into the walls later he burst out of rows of buildings into thick forest and Holsmon had to slow down as not to cut down every tree he passed and leave a trail of felled trees behind them.

Labramon, though, had long since disappeared into the green sea. Sora wasn't sure anymore if she was supposed to care.

On the one hand he was a fellow Digidestined, but on the other he was only present in a borrowed body that he surely couldn't hold forever and the Shisamon he had originally been was one of the enemy Digimon. What if the enemy started missing it? Or what if it suddenly started attacking them like so many others?

Sora wasn't sure, but Yolei apparently had reached the decision to leave him do as he pleased since she scanned her D-terminal's map for the next TV , directing Holsmon further south without a second thought when she found it.

It seemed he had really pissed her off ans since there was no immediate danger Yolei was probably rather glad to be rid of him, Sora mused.

Holsmon sprinted through thick forest, leaves and branches hung in their way and Sora pressed her cheek to Yolei's back as both girls struggled to avoid hard scraps of wood slapping into them.

Piyomon, pressed between her and Yolei, poked her head out to the side and Sora managed only with greatest difficulty not to push her back to protect her, but the tiny rational part of her mind argued out against her agitated nerves and adrenaline that there really was no danger just by running through a forest.

* * *

><p>Branches cracked and broke ominously loud and suddenly there was a white shape running alongside them.<p>

"You are surrounded," Labramon informed them nonchalantly, jumping over a root, probably thinking something along the lines of I-told-you-so,"they'll have you in a few minutes." He sniffed the air and the ground, but didn't grace them with more information as he kept pace.

"How do you plan to get out of here?" Yolei decided to ask against her better judgment.

And, true to her thoughts, he sent them a withering glare. "None of your business."

"Excuse me," she snapped, her blood boiling, "but you are using one of our charges there. It damn well is our business!"

"How do you know?" Labramon demanded arrogantly, "this Digimon might have come from another dimension as well."

"It is here now anyway."

There was a short pause in which Yolei almost felt him give her a stare of annoyance. Like she cared.

"It doesn't matter," Labramon said finally, "maybe you are playing –"

"-_playing?-"_

"-guardian angel of this world, but it simply doesn't matter. You are too spineless and powerless do be of any real help."

A strangled yelp came from behind her, but over the blood rushing in her ears, the heat straining her face Yolei didn't hear it; too absorbed in the anger clouding her mind that she just barely restrained from physically lashing out at the thing racing next to her.

Then, before Yolei lost more control, Holsmon skidded to a halt in a small clearing, a TV glowing faintly through the darkness of the shadowing leaves with her partner's voice being the only disturbance in the too still forest.

"I'll have you know," Holsmon snarled in his refined manner, "that Yolei has been doing her duty greatly for years. The Digiworld has flourished under her and her friends' protection."

Still trembling with anger, Yolei pressed her hands deeper into his fur, seeking his warmth from the infinite trust he put in her to regain control over her emotions and her body.

Nevertheless, Labramon leveled them all with a look of utter insignificance that destroyed any kind of restrain she ahd managed to work up. "What a world it is, then, where the protectors are hardly able to save their own skin. Never mind others'.

"You can't protect anything. Not us, no lives, not your worlds and certainly not me."

Did he never stop? "What do you know? About us? About how _we_ fight? What _we_ have done? How _we_ survived? _We_ were chosen for a reason!" She all but screamed at him, fists shaking and furious tears she never noticed dropping to the high grass as she slid down from Holsmon's back, knees weak.

Labramon's red eyes pointedly strolled over them while she caught her breath, exhausted from more than this mission."You are right, of course." He said calmly, assessing, dismissively, "I don't know anything about you. But I do have a mind to make judgments with and I'm simply telling you what conclusions I have reached based on observations. With what happened in the Pillar Hall and with what I see here now.

"Incompetence.

"It is, for example, utterly pathetic that I have to remind you yet _again _to get out of here. Or to run, if you only stopped here, because your personal opinion mattered more to you than your mission."

Rage clouded her mind possessively and Yolei was unable to form any single thought other than how much she hated the person hiding in the skin of another.

Hate, hate, hate.

She wasn't sure she had ever felt that much hatred running hot and consuming through her blood.

Incapable of doing anything but staring, glaring, hating, she followed Sora's tug on her sleeve without even noticing it, getting closer to the TV even as Labramon's uncompassionate eyes followed them as much as hers him until his attention was pulled away with ears twitching and scanning everything surrounding them.

A low grown escaped his throat.

"Come on, Yolei, we are going," Sora whispered in her ear, the elder girls breath hot on her cheek, with a badly shaking voice.

Whirling on the spot she reached out for her Digivice, as she picked Hawkmon up with the other hand and held him clutched painfully tight to her chest. Holding her divice down to the TV, their respective lights resonating until she felt familiar pull in every inch of her skin, making her disappear from the world she had sworn to protect.

"Wait! Wha-!" That was Sora and, suddenly horrified to her bones, Yolei struggled to turn around as she was sucked away into the safety of the real world, but not before she saw Labramon glowing, inflating and finally exploding in a big wave of flames.

Squeezing her eyes shut the image of a lost innocent live was burned into her mind as she waited to land-

* * *

><p>"-back here. That's it. Will you tell me now where I can find that- that-urgh! I don't even have words for him!"<p>

Matt, Tai and Izzy traded uneasy glances before looking back at Yolei, who had come storming back into Tai's room after she had been unable to find where Takuya was being taken care of.

"Yolei, what happened in Double City wasn't right, that's true, but"-Yolei snorted with disgust-"there is probably more to the situation than what we see at first glance," Tai held up a hand here to forestall an angry outburst that Yolei surely would have like to let go of, "I'm not saying that what Takuya's friend did can be justified, just that we shouldn't deal with it just yet."

Tai sighed, "there is a lot to deal with, including the problem you have just talked about."

"Then why-?"

"Takuya, for one, has a split personality now. Most likely," Matt said, leaning his arm on the back of his chair and looking outside, apparently untroubled.

"Split…personality?" Yolei stumbled over the familiar yet unknown words, her usually quick brain having short circuited at the term being connected to someone she knew.

"That's right. I don't think it'd lead to anything other than more trouble if you'd go to him now and we don't need that. Not to mention," Tai gave her a mischievous wink, "that we have no idea where his room is either."

* * *

><p>...<p>

...

_Thump.__  
><em>

Once. Nothingness.

...

_Thump.  
><em>

Twice. Eternity.

...

_Thump._

It was there. Almost not. But still. It was of no matter -almost not. Of no meaning. Yet it was there.

Again.

_Thump. _

That was everything there was about it.

Yet.

No significance.

It was there and that was all.

_Thump. Thump. _

* * *

><p>Kari slid the door open, stepping silently inside after she caught sight of Takuya awake.<p>

Slightly surprised she noticed the room Takuya and his friends occupied wasn't different from the one she used and Kari wasn't sure whether it was a good thing that she had perhaps expected something else or not. What was it that she had expected? Cables, monitors and a lab next door? Kari shook her head at the thought.

Sitting down in a chair beside him she asked politely how he was doing while she looked at his friends, eyes hanging at the form of a little brown haired boy for a moment. He wasn't any older than Cody.

"Fine."

She threw him a look that clearly told him just what she thought of that standard reply. It never convinced anyone. Least of all those who have used it similarly. Sadly she was one of those.

He grinned -Kari wasn't sure if it was real- and holt up his hands defensively. "I'm fine, really."

Kari still didn't believe him, but she dropped the subject. If he didn't want to talk then he wouldn't. Not to somebody who was just perhaps little more to him than a stranger.

And strangers they were to her. How often had she seen him now? When he was conscious? Four, five times? Out of those how often had she talked to him? Just talked, not fought? Once, twice, if at all.

No wonder their groups were already falling apart.

But she could still fix it. It is never too late to become friends. But…

"Yolei and Sora are back." Kari said, keeping all traitorous emotions out of her voice as she carefully watched the brown haired teenager next to her react.

Takuya visibly perked up from his own thoughts which she guessed to be rather depressing all things considered. "Really?"

She nodded, her own opinion split between justified anger and the desire to listen to all points of view. "It was a success, technically speaking. And they were unhurt."

"But?" He had picked up on her unspoken pause without a second of hesitation and Kari suspected Takuya was still expecting something _interesting_, too. Why, she didn't know, though. Perhaps it was simply because he wasn't naïve enough to believe everything went off without a hitch. Or he just knew his friend.

"Yolei came back furious and crying." A pause. Takuya didn't twitch a muscle, but Kari saw something flicker in his gaze. "Sora is rather down as well. Piyomon, too. "

"Oh." Takuya commented tonelessly. "Did they say something?"

"I got the gist of what happened." Takuya's eye twitched.

"Let me guess," he said exasperated, "Koji was an absolute jerk?" He had a wry tone of humor mixed in his voice which was none the less overloading with annoyance as he slummed deeper in his chair, but his attitude was inappropriate to the situation.

"As far as I know your friend killed his host body."

Takuya groaned in response and sank a little deeper, closing his eyes as he massaged the bridge of his nose.

Nice to know Takuya actually understood the implications.

It was something that set him from Davis apart and with a sudden start she realized that she had never just looked at _Takuya_. The boy called Takuya had always been a mix of her brother and Davis to her; she had totally ignored that other events and a different path had shaped him, turned him into a person that reacted in serious situations completely different form the people she knew and treasured.

No matter how similar they all looked or acted during their free time.

She wondered if she was the only one having made that mistake.

Now that she thought about it, though, it was decisively because he was so similar to her brother that his attitude and way of handling trouble upset her all the more.

And it was, she admitted sadly, remembering the conversation she had overheard between her brother and Izzy earlier, perhaps understandable that Takuya thought the way he did.

It was really sad.

"I thought you'd like to know in advance that Yolei is very likely to hit you the next time you meet." Takuya grimaced some more, gaining a dry smile from her even though there was nothing nice to smile about. Nothing at all.

"I'll remember that," Takuya responded. He sounded tired. So very tired, making her wonder just how much of her brother's idea was true.

It couldn't remain like this.

Takuya needed help. She needed help. Everyone needed help. Even if he didn't acknowledge it.

"How did you first enter the Digiworld?" Takuya gave her a startled at the strange subject before his lips slowly broke into a wide grin. Hopefully it was honest.

"It was really silly," he began, "I got a message to my mobile phone asking 'would you like to start? Or not?'. I was bored out of my mind that time so I just pressed the yes button. Then my phone started to sprout nonsense about my future and somehow i decided to just go along with it. Don't look like that," he added as Kari stared incredulously ,"I know it wasn't the smartest decision. Anyway, I followed directions from my phone and ended in an underground Trailmon Station. So far everything had been nice and all, but then we suddenly had to fight for our lives without even a reason. We didn't even get a warning! Lady Ophanimon just sent us all this stupid mail and then pretty much told us 'if you survive I might tell you why you are here'," he exclaimed in fake horror, a grin twitching on his lips all the while.

Then, suddenly, he just clasped his arms behind his head, his outgoing demeanor almost disappearing on the spot, exchanged with more refined control, but he was still smiling. That was good right? "How about you?"

Hopefully not visibly struggling not to show how much his change of behavior –and perhaps personality- unsettled her, she smiled as well. Because Kari had no reason not to smile. At the moment.

"My start was a bit more troubled," she told him, remembering how much she had cursed the cold she had caught later.

* * *

><p>Koji was back in the strange world of black and white; of Darkness and Light. It was symbolic and Koji really liked it.<p>

Koichi was standing next to him, grinning and Koji smirked in return.

"It worked."

Koichi's smile widened a fraction. "That's great."

"Of sorts. Now I only have to figure out how to get out of that stupid pillar." It was ridiculous. Who stuffed prisoners into pillars of all things? Flat solid walls would be far more practical.

He wasn't going to complain, but it was moronic. And as a matter of principle Koji outright refused to be at the mercy of somebody so stupid.

"If you don't, we'll soon come and get you out ourself."

Koji raised an eyebrow. "With the sort of help we apparently have here I'll be out before you even start to make a plan."

"Ouch."

"No kidding. But it is fine, I guess. Other people have other ways." Didn't mean that he had to like it, though.

There was a short pause before his brother spoke again and Koji wondered if Koichi had similar thoughts on the matter.

"Do you think we can meet like this again?"

"Huh?" Koichi looked tired, Koji noticed. Really tired and his body was disappearing into dark mist.

"In this space, I mean. While you are still away. Or in general when we are far apart. I like it here."

"I don't know, but why shouldn't we?"

Koichi smiled. Then he was gone.

Glancing around once in the now empty world Koji turned around and got to work on gaining his freedom.

Well aware that there was going to be reason that his memories wouldn't blur like before.

* * *

><p>This is the chapter for September and it was a real pain to write. :(<p>

But I'm done, finally. Two days later than i wanted, but still done!

The part with Kari and Takuya as well as what Koji said was easy, but the rest was a real struggle to put into words. I hope it won't show in my writing, though. Reviews and expectations (thank you very much!) were my lifeline during the last 1000 words. They really saved me. I almost uploaded this a good thousand words short. It would have been a personal low and surely disappointing. X_X

To those who haven't already, please leave a vote in my poll about Gatomon.

Please review and thank you really very much for last chapter's. :)

Next chapter will come in October.


	24. Start

Chapter 23: Start

* * *

><p>It was dark all around; just the way he preferred it, hiding even his own hand from view and leaving everything in darkness.<p>

Rhythmic tipping of his finger on the hard arm rest of his throne carried through the chamber, signaling his impatience to the poor soul kneeling on the other, far end of the hall and he, in turn, heard the shallow uneven breathing of his servant, who was chocking on his own nerves, and shaking just by being in the same room as the one he served.

"Report."

His voice, colder than ice, echoed through his throne room, resounding from unseen stony walls, elegant columns, making the lowly servant tremble and the air heavy with building fear.

It was the smell he despised the most.

The stench of a lowly creature; reeking with incompetence and cowardice, hardly worth to even breath the same air.

Disgusting but useful if taken advantage of properly; and that he did. It would not do to rule or control simply with pure power, for power can be sidestepped, overthrown with nothing more than an excellent brain. Naturally not _his_ power, but it would still not do to forget the value of a good strategy and be it simply as a matter of his entertainment.

"It has been taken, just as Milord intended," the servant stuttered, rightfully afraid for his live, "Currently its location is being sought out and pinpointed. Results shall be presented to your Lordship within the day."

"No need. Begin when the time comes. The culprit? "

The air turned almost tangible with fear. Bad news it is then. "Well?"

He heard a strangled gulp for air and took a satisfying amount of pleasure in it. "The traitor, Milord, is dead."

Deliberately stopping the movement of his finger and quieting his breathing, he let deadly silence fall, making the creature experience the terror indicated by literally nothing.

"Dead?" He repeated, highlighting with just the right amount of disbelieve it was not what he had wanted.

"My lord," the spineless being squeaked, teeth clattering as if from cold and limps shaking so hard he could hear them through the chamber and layers of flesh, "the Hunters reported suicide before they could subdue it. They extend their endless apologies, expressing –"

"Leave."

The sound of teeth snapping shut repelled from the walls, added to by shaking knees as the being stumbled blindly backwards, bowing to him all the while even in the blind darkness he so preferred. A wise choice; as it was the only thing keeping him alive, as the creature doubtlessly knew.

* * *

><p>Oh, crap.<p>

That was the first and most accurate thought when Tommy suddenly sat up on his bed.

The second one was more along the lines of 'don't have a panic attack'.

The third one was that he still had no idea what to say.

Especially now that the Light girl was here and there were certain things she and her kind did _not _need to know_. At all. _

"Hi, Tommy," he greeted, a stretched smile plastered on his face as he got up and walked over to his friend, pulling his chair along.

"Takuya." Tommy did not smile.

With an eerily vacant expression and unsettling sharp eyes Tommy gazed around and Takuya struggled not to look away when their eyes met.

Then the younger boy's brow settled into a confused frown, the corners of his mouth dropped slightly and his pale green eyes got a spark they had missed.

Well, that was better.

"Uh, Kari, would you mind leaving us…?"

The girl startled, jumping slightly in the chair she still hadn't left, and took her eyes of Tommy as she got up, moving slightly less fluid than before. She waved once with what she probably intended to be a friendly smile before the door fell shut behind her.

No self-control.

She cared.

Takuya felt a headache coming.

Slumping back into his chair, this time next to Tommy's bed, his fake smile fell off his face in a split second and reality came crashing back. The reality of them all changing, of them all being just something short of dead from a certain point of view.

And to Tommy it would probably and sadly be most visible fact.

"How are you feeling," he asked, his seriousness hopefully more than enough to alert his friend that something was most definitely up, and it was, because Tommy chose to forgo the typical reply and settled right for thinking about a honest answer.

Takuya had never been one for strategy, which was why even now he didn't plan, didn't think much about what to say -which was not to say that he wouldn't like to know it anyway- and just went along as things came and improvised at the right time. He hoped it would be enough this time.

Tommy's frown deepened with every minute he mused about an answer, making Takuya fidgeting in his seat. "Strange. Like I'm…,"he sighed, "Sorry, Takuya-oniichan, I don't know how to say it."

Takuya just barely stopped himself from raising an eyebrow at the choice of address. Normal was nice, normal was good; no need to discourage it. "How about feeling like being split in two? Or thinking double?" He suggested in stead.

Tommy shook his head slowly, thinking again. "No…, I think it's more like….. there are two directions and …I want to go both. Yeah, that sounds about right."

Well, that was fine and all, even if a bit different from how Takuya would describe himself -perhaps it had something to do with the choice of Spirit?-, but now he was free to poke directly at the problem. Which he'd rather not. Really not.

He wasn't even sure it had sunk in with himself. "Do you remember why you feel like this?" There he had asked it.

"Sure. Lowemon was fighting and I…," he trailed off, his eyes widening to round orbs. "Oh."

"You didn't use a D-Tector," Takuya filled in needlessly, really not wanting to say anything more about the subject and hoping Tommy and his Spirit came to an accurate conclusion on their own.

"Yes," Tommy mumbled, clenching in his fists, till his knuckles turned white and Takuya wondered, amused if the situation would be anything else, if he noticed the frost settling at the window's rim next to his bed. "What happened to me?"

Takuya swallowed, wishing he hadn't heard the undertone of fear and pleading that Tommy always tried so hard to hide when he did feel it, because he didn't want to be the child of the group, the baby, the one needing protection; always fighting for recognition.

"Well," just get over with it, he told himself, looking determinately at a spot just over Tommy's shoulder, "you fused with your Spirit. We aren't human anymore." And in a much softer voice he added, "we can never go home."

Tommy's breathing hitched, but that was all outward reaction he showed, falling back into his pillows and hesitantly Takuya risked a look at his friend's face. It was blank like a mask, eyes fading from chestnut brown to pale green and back every few seconds.

Takuya could only imagine what kind of conversation was going on inside him, because unlike himself and Koichi Tommy didn't have any prior knowledge of what would happen should he not use a D-Tector; Tommy only now found out what he had given up.

On the other hand Takuya was immensely glad that it wasn't him who had to explain the finer details of the outcome. That was not to say he was bad with emotions; it's just that this was way over his head.

"I see," Tommy said tonelessly after a while getting up from his bed and Takuya supposed he should be grateful that Tommy had chosen Beast Evolution.

Moving aside to give Tommy some space he turned his eyes to the next bed, seeking out Koichi's limp form, wanting to know when he was going to wake up, only to be met by very much awake and open dark blue eyes.

Damn him. How long had he been awake and done nothing but listening to Takuya struggle?

"Hey, Takuya can we go wandering around a bit? I'm bored. And I still don't know where we are."

Interrupted from glaring at Koichi, Takuya looked back at Tommy, seeing an eager and small, but honest grin.

He resolved to thank all deities the next opportunity he had, that the younger boy had preferred using his Beast Spirit.

* * *

><p>Mimi stomped her foot angrily, feeling like a ten-year old again.<p>

"I'm going!"

"You are not!"

"Yes, I am!" Vaguely aware that her voice had become shrill and that she was still in a hospital she attempted to take another step to the side, attempting to sidestep towards the hospital's exit, having made it to the lobby before she had run into the two people she had wanted to avoid most.

The not tall, but sturdy figure of her father, backed by her mother had moved to block her path.

"But darling, look at you," her father begged, "you are hurt and need your rest and not leave the hospital unsupervised to do this Digimon stuff!"

"I'm fine daddy. These are nothing more than scratches: They don't hurt. And besides, I needed." She wanted to do _something_.

"Then someone else can go help! There are plenty of you who aren't in the hospital! You need your rest, sweety."

"No! No others, Dad! I, we were chosen for this and I won't run away and have others do my work!" Even as she said it, Mimi noticed how strange it sounded, hearing it from her own two lips.

"You were chosen by this Digital Man! It doesn't mean a thing," her mother argued, not giving an inch, her face shadowed with concern.

"I was chosen because of who I am! They need me!" It was also a first time she said something like this, probably.

"Then they can need others; You. Are. Not. Going. Young Lady."

Mimi released a frustrated breath, something between a snort and a sigh. "Back me up here, Palmon," she said turning to her green plant partner, who was holding on to her new jeans. Jeans her parents had brought for her when she had still been unconscious.

She stomped down the swell of guilt.

She couldn't falter. She just couldn't.

Even if she was hurting her parents, who were only worried sick about their only daughter.

Because if she did, if she didn't try her best, then…

Mimi didn't want to think about it. All the terrible, countless possibilities. For her, Palmon, her friends, her parents, the Digiworld, this world.

She hadn't felt this helpless and powerless since all those years ago when she had been scared, spoiled and more often than not useless.

When a hastily aimed beam of light blazed over clear blue water and struck down Whamon, incurably, deadly…

When Leomon was lying on gray stairs in a gray world, speaking reassuring words filled with hope till the end…

Those sacrifices had marked her, turned her and she was still turning now, continuously changing with each death she saw or heard of; human and digimon alike.

Even though in her darkest hours she considered the Purity she was chosen for a curse; cursed to care about everything and everyone she came across, from the stranger on the street to a picked flower on a random windowsill, it gave her a reason to move forward, to fight, so to speak, despite the pain she brought onto herself with it. She did it, because she couldn't be like Tai and just move passed every lost life.

Especially now since she was beginning to see another reason why she mustn't stop fighting beside her friends.

"Um…,"Palmon stammered, pulling her out of her thoughts and trying to disappear behind Mimi's legs, "We will be really fast and it's not dangerous?"

"No!"

Shrinking back deeper into her shadow, Palmon looked up at her green eyes wide and apologetic and Mimi decided to change tactics.

"Mom, Dad, why can't I," she whined, using her pleading skill perfected during shopping trips with her parents. "Palmon can protect me and I'll be back in an hour," she lied without blushing.

"Like she protected you before you ended up here?" Palmon's hands dug deeper in her jeans, but Mimi forced herself to ignore the insult at her best friend.

Because there really wasn't anything she could say to that; should her parents find out exactly what kind of danger she had been in they'd never let her leave their sight again.

"We are in the human world, mom. It's not like we'll be ambushed just by rounding a corner. And I'm not even a target." An idea sparked in her mind.

"But here in this hospital are children who are targeted. Children who were just at the wrong place at the wrong time and who have no family to worry for them or come to visit," she sniffed, "they are all alone here and are you saying that I can't help them? They have no one else."

Jackpot.

When faced with her tears, her parents had always been helpless, and now she guilt-tripped them with poor orphans and her big heart and their parental instincts and their kindness that she had inherited.

So what if she might have twisted the truth a bit to fit her circumstances? Point was that her parents were scrambling to reassure her and that they were already halfway turning away from her and already planning how they could possibly help the poor orphaned children.

Using a chance when she saw one, she strolled past them with a pronounced air of causality; almost humming to herself as she made for the exit.

Takuya may or may not have her head should her parents actually decide to mother-hen him, though. He most definitely wasn't the type to appreciate it.

It was cold outside; her breath left fine clouds of white behind that dispersed in a short breeze and after she had picked up Palmon, who was, as something resembling a tropical plant, sensitive to cold, she tugged her stylish, but not really warm jacket tighter around herself and her partner.

"Sorry about what Dad said just now," she told her as she walked away from the hospital grounds on which Digi-Evolution was forbidden, "he is just worried."

"I know," Palmon said, her voice barely more than a whisper, "but he was right. I didn't protect you."

"No, you did protect me," she pointed out kindly. "I'm fine. I can walk, talk and think. These few scratches I have could have come from anything. I might just have fallen down some stairs. Don't you worry about it."

"Mmmm, but I'm still sorry."

Sighing Mimi let the conversation drop and continued walking in silence; moving across the parking area and waving politely at a reporter team that was still waiting for some material to publish. The camera turned on her and Mimi hoped that her leaving the hospital was nothing worthy of the evening news; quite ironic considering that she had dreamed of being a star when she had been young.

Setting Palmon down she dug out her Digivice, making it glow green and not even a second later Lilimon lifted her off the ground, heading first towards Odaiba where a group of Digidestined was waiting for one of them to open a Gate to push a stranded Digimon back to its own world.

* * *

><p>Tai grinned, infected by Koromon's joyous laughter as he threw the little pink ball up to the ceiling, catching him as he fell down, with long ears spinning like a helicopter, and throwing him back up in a modified game of catch.<p>

"Again!" Koromon giggled, this time ears flapping like a bird and Tai grinned a little wider, wondering amused when, or rather if, Koromon would ever accept that he wasn't built to fly.

A knock interrupted their playing and Tai caught Koromon again, setting him down in his lap as the door opened.

Blinking surprised as Takuya stepped inside, a boy Cody's age and Koichi following, Tai noticed even more surprised, considering it had only been a few hours ago that Takuya left, that all three of them appeared to be in a good mood.

"Hi there," Takuya said, smiling.

"Hi," he replied, figuring just to go along with whatever was going on rather than opening a can of worms that they should deal with soon, but having no idea how to do that.

"I thought you'd like to know we are all awake now," Takuya said, needlessly gesturing to his friends, who were flanking him. "This is Tommy, by the way."

The boy extended a hand grinning widely and somewhat impishly. "I'm Tomoki Himi, but call me Tommy. I'm thirteen. I like my friends, everything cold, big hats, goggles and soccer. I don't like bullies and crazy and or evil people or Digimon fixated on World Domination. And you are?"

"Taichi Kamiya and this is Koromon," Tai said, overwhelmed by so much information, but despite himself he asked, "you like soccer?"

He seemed to have missed out on something because the boy broke out into laughter, making Takuya huff while Koichi smiled.

"You were right," the youngest in the room said between stifled giggles, "he really is just like Takuya-oniichan."

"Told you so." Koichi said, talking over Takuya's head, "and you haven't met the other yet."

"I'll have you know," Takuya huffed, "that I'm a perfectly fine individual. Completely different from them."

"Yeah?" They seemed to be getting way to much amusement out of this, Tai noted, feeling somewhat left out as Koichi challenged, "then name a difference. I'm listening."

Opening his mouth to argue, no word came out and Takuya closed it again, restarting a moment later and repeating the process a few times, before he finished lamely: "We have different hair color."

The boy snorted and Tai caught discreetly as he had been apparently forgotten.

"Oh right," Takuya said embarrassed, remembering that Tai was present and turning a bit red. "So how are you feeling, Tai? Do you already know when you will be released?"

Tai sighed, prior amusement ebbing away and watching as Tommy moved to play rock-paper-scissors with Koromon. "Not really. If my rehabilitation goes as planned, then perhaps, _perhaps _in one and a half weeks. And is only with pressure being put on the doctors. They'd like to keep me here for at least a month."

"I see, well… that's great. Do you know about the others?" Takuya mused, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Tai frowned. "I don't know. Why don't you go ask them yourself? I mean it's not like you have much to do while we are still here in the hospital."

"Huh? Oh… yeah. I guess you're right."

Tai narrowed his eyes. "You aren't planning anything again, are you? We still aren't finished with what happened last time."

Eyes widened a fraction, Takuya quickly shook his head. "Don't worry. Koji is there now; we don't need to be that desperate."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean," Takuya repeated, turning pointedly to Koichi, "is that this guy here somehow built a connection to our dear friend."

Tai blinked, not getting a word.

"What he is trying to say is, "Koichi elaborated kindly, "that I somehow managed to talk to my brother telepathically and I know that he is now probably able to keep our friends alive for a while."

"Telepathically? Wait, with your brother?" Tai felt both is eyebrows raise.

"Yes. We think it is a twin-thing, because our Spirits said they don't have that kind of ability," Koichi replied smiling a kind understanding smile, though Tai wondered if he really understood whenever smiled just like that and he repeated, "Twins," just to be sure.

"Yes."

"Koji is the one who contacted us with the help of that Shisamon?"

"Yeah," Takuya confirmed grinning somewhat amused.

"You shouldn't tell Yolei this," Tai told Koichi, winching just at the thought. Yolei hadn't appeared to be able of rational thought, so he doubted she would make a difference between twins.

Kochi sighed, resigned. "I already heard. But I don't know what Koji did."

"I don't either," Tai answered, "but Yolei was downright furious, so I wouldn't do anything more to upset her or draw her attention towards you."

"Yeah," Tommy piped up, sitting on the ground by now and rolling Koromon back and forth between his hands, "woman can be really scary if they want to be." He threw a meaningful look at his two friends, who had become as still as stone while Tommy himself grimaced at a particular thought.

"I hope the girls here aren't like _Zoe." _He stressed the name in a way suggesting that more words were not needed to define the girl.

Takuya gave a hollow, anxious laugh. "Don't worry," he whispered conspiratorially, "they aren't."

"At least not as far as we know," Koichi added helpfully.

"What is this Zoe like," Tai asked, his interest quirked. He had a vague recollection of Izzy mentioning that Takuya had a single female Teammate and his curiosity spiked further when he saw the other three trade ominous glances.

"Well", Takuya began, suddenly unsure, "she is nice and all, but-"

"-and beautiful," butted Tommy in again, smirking at Takuya.

"-and beautiful," he admitted, glaring at the child, "but _dangerous." _Takuya stressed, his eyes quickly hushing through the room as if he expected the girl to jump out any second.

"Usually she is perfectly nice to get along with," he told and Tai listened curiously as the three of them attempted to describe a woman that sent them scrambling for cover when ticked off and Tai told some stories of his own in return that he had with females that are better left in peace.

Kari joined them sometime later when the conversation had somehow ended up being about the questionable competence of teachers and time went by fast, the sun sinking below the horizon within a few hours, which Tai only noticed when the earth trembled and emergency lights flashed.

* * *

><p>Koji was thinking hard.<p>

Which sadly was the only thing he could do, still trapped in a prison that tried to absorb him by erasing his sense of self, emotions, memories and desires. He felt sick just thinking about how close he had come to becoming just that, but it also prompted another thought; what about the others? He had been saved -though he hated to admit it- by first his brother's presence and then that strange place where he had been free of anything else; even his Spirits. It had been a place where he could remember who he was, focus his thoughts, gather his emotions and make his resolve.

It was what he had done and as a result he was no longer just _being _now that he was back_._

It had come at a price, of course, but he wasn't to bothered by it for now, if ever.

The problem was, however: what about the others?

They didn't have a twin, or even a drastic polar opposite that could allow conversation, motivation.

Which meant they were pretty close to dying and surrendering to this tasteless hourglass, that he had only caught a glimpse of when he had been running as fast as he could as Shisamon.

And that naturally meant that he couldn't rely on help from the outside; there was no time anymore. Hours only, perhaps only minutes, if it wasn't too late already.

So all in all he had precious little options.

Possessing another body was no good; he had already tried freeing them with that, not to mention that he had no energy for it anymore.

Other than that he could only try reaching out with his mind, just as he did when Koichi had been fighting here, and...

And nothing; he'd have to see what he could to then.

* * *

><p>The chapter for October and I finished just in time to publish it on the first. :)<p>

This was a lot easier to write for some reason than the last chapter.

It was interesting to pose Mimi's thoughts as she had comparably little screen time in the anime and there is little to base her character on especially since she did complain most of the time. So considering how spoiled she had been in the first season and partly in the second i thought it'd be appropriate that she was still growing up. I think this _situation_ is something of a wakeup call to her.

Next i have to warn you that I'm starting university and that i have no idea how much I'll be able to write. Or if i maybe even have to go on hiatus till the semester is over. But details will be written on my profile.

Other than that please leave a vote at my poll about Gatomon's evolution.

Please review and feel free to criticize so that i may improve. :) Thank you for last chapter's comments.


	25. Choice

Chapter 24: Choice

* * *

><p>"That was…," Kari hurried to the only window in her brother's room, quickly scanning the darkness for what she feared was the aftermath of the earthquake like shaking of the ground, but she saw nothing and she let the air escape her in relieve even though she knew it meant nothing that there was nothing outside of only Tai's window.<p>

"…explosions." Looking to the side, she saw Tommy standing beside her, still starring outside, but it wasn't him who had spoken; stepping away from the window she hurried past her brother who was stuck in bed, forbidden but not unable-

"Don't move," she said, bowing down to him till they were face to face, only a few inches separating them, and she nailed him with a pleading look. If it was about him, there was no joking. "You stay here. Let Koromon take care of you and we are going to deal with this."

Straightening up she moved for the door where the other three were still waiting for her. Almost outside she looked back once more, "don't move, alright? Promise?"

Her brother nodded, the bandages around his head stopping his hair from bobbing along as it usually did and she smiled, stratified when Koromon jumped up to him, hugging her brother in the face –probably cutting his air off- and squeaking excitedly, "leave it to me! Leave it to me!"

By the time the door automatically fell closed she was already walking down the corridor with the three other boys.

"Hey, do you have any idea if this is the right direction?"

"No, but the reception will know, probably."

"Probably", Takuya agreed, hands clasped behind his back and for all the world to see no apparent worry on his face; it was amazing and she spent a split of a second wondering how he did it before dismissing the thought in favor of spinning bad-to-worst case scenarios up in her head and what to do in said cases.

They were in a hospital; one of the worst places for Digimon to appear, never mind evolving or fighting, with all the electronic equipment for live support.

First off was then to change location.

Alas this hospital stood in the middle of a highly populated town with skyscrapers in each direction as far as the eye could see and with even more people.

Hopefully there was a park nearby.

If the number of enemies was one that could be moved.

And sadly she and her friends weren't at their best; WarGreymon was out and Davis had better not move either, which meant no Imperialdramon either. That only left Metalgarurumon of the mega-level.

But, she considered, depending on the enemy Metalgarurumon could be enough.

It really all depended on who the enemy was and how many; if the odds were as bad as they seemed to be lately, though, it would be catastrophic, so she preferred not to think too much about it as she hurried down the staircase. A tiny corner of her mind whispered there was still the chance that the explosions were just an accident, a malfunction of something or another, but Kari squashed the traitorous little voice mercilessly, because for the hospital and the people in it that could be even worse than a digital cause.

Hastening her steps, jumping a few stairs, she came to the conclusion that the situation needed to be handled delicately either way.

"Hey, Kari, what do you think we should do?"

She gave the small boy jumping stairs behind her a quizzical look over her shoulder.

"Nothing, of course."

Takuya snapped around to her so fast it had to hurt as he pushed a glass door open. "What? You can't be serious! No way!" He was staring at her with hard eyes, expression incredulous and exasperated. "Name me one good reason why we should."

Surprisingly Kari felt irritation flare. What was it with him, dragging out parts of her personality that she didn't know existed? "Just because." Because she honestly was not going to name the mountain of reasons, including, but not limited to, to the fact that she was supposed to protect them, official explanations due to the high possibility of _this_ landing in the late night news, while they were racing through a hospital just because he was behaving like a child.

On contrary to what Takuya might believe, he did not know everything he needed to about this world.

"Stay inside! Help the staff!" She yelled at them over her when they reached the lobby and she headed outside, following directions given by a nurse.

She was glared at by their leader, giving her no response, and she stopped to wait and faked patience she did not have stubbornly till he turned away, heading back deeper into the hospital before she hurried out the front doors.

A lot of the others were already outside, gathered to the Eastside and to Kari's relieve a white blur was present as well, jumping into her arms at sight.

"It's the Mamemon Brothers, Kari," Gatomon was cut off by a deafening bang, the ground shook and he was hit with a wall of heated, hard and violent air, forcing her to take a step back to balance her weight and she quickly looked up, searching for the source as Gatomon jumped back down, growling.

The eastern half of the hospital's parking area was in chaos; there were multiple fresh truck sized craters in the asphalt, numerous cars were either turned over, sprawled across still even ground, damaged heavily in a way that suggested they had been used as something akin to trampolines or aflame, providing them ironically with light other than street lamps.

The destruction was absolutely senseless, random even; just for fun.

Swallowing she gathered her senses and joined her friends while Gatomon jumped back into the fray between the three ultimate digimon and the battle-able Rookies, apparently following a strategy already.

* * *

><p>Tommy liked Kari.<p>

She was kind, honest and caring.

She was a refreshing breath of normality to him, who was stranded in a semi foreign world and who had a situation he had stopped really caring about the first five minutes after he learned the fact, which, by all means, should be creepy beyond measure, because Tommy was not the kind of person to be accepting about a matter that concerned his live with his family.

Strangely enough, though, it didn't bother him that he wasn't troubled either.

The thought that he wasn't inevitably prompted the question of how much of him was still himself, but he didn't follow that train of thought, dismissing it easily for no reason other than it having no relevance to him, which again was something Tommy had still not been able to do.

He was who he was and whether his thoughts were only his own or not was irrelevant, because even if not there was nothing that could be done about it.

All that, however, changed nothing about the fact that he liked Kari.

He couldn't exactly put words to his reasons other than what he already did and perhaps it was strange to think he liked her as much as he did after only half a day of acquaintanceship, but still, he liked her.

And because he did he was a bit sad that they were going to make her angry and disappointed.

Because he, Takuya and Koichi were not, as Kari had told them, helping with the evacuation of the east wing.

Sure, they had tried, halfheartily asking if the nurses needed help, but the one they had asked was hurrying, almost running, past them and Takuya had only called an offer to help after her.

The woman hadn't responded, disappearing into a room and Takuya had promptly turned around and led them to a window at the end of a side corridor that was facing the situation outside on the parking area.

Looking on now it really sank in that this human world really was different from his own.

For one, though he had already heard that, Digimon were known to the world; publicly and clearly.

For another Digimon really did exist; not just physically but completely with all their abilities, quirks and potential violence.

It was a world sparkling with beauty, friendship, coexistence and happy lives. Potentially.

Looking on Tommy smiled for a completely different reason than what was happening before his eyes; explosions, anxiousness, chaos, fear, anger and not yet blood.

It could be a really nice world.

Not his, not theirs, but still….

And because he thought so he was going to make Kari angry anyway, even if he didn't want. Now and probably a lot in the future.

Because she was one who protected.

He wasn't, but they were, so he was going to do what he could.

Besides, they were _Warriors_.

"What do you think?"

A lot, Tommy thought.

A part of him was detached in disbelieve at the sight of news teams and cameras and TV cars that were arriving with neck breaking speed and were pushing dangerously close to the Chosen Children outside, who were apparently trying in vain to focus on the battle, while at the same time attempting to keep the foolish adults, tempting to get an interview, away from danger.

The major other part of him that was not close to being thunderstruck, watched the ongoing confrontation with a critical eye sharpened by experience he shouldn't have.

"Not bad," he said, observing how the battle was growing more and more organized; the outnumbering, but much weaker rookie digimon, were fighting with a strategic rhythm of attack and retreat to twist the situation in their favor.

Provoking the three Bean Brothers and making them follow when the rookies were pulling back; drawing them almost teasingly away from the hospital.

Piyomon spit fire; Gatomon used the created blind spot and landed an ineffective hit, then ran away in a shower of bombs that were held off by more fire form Piyomon or a Feather Boomerang from Hawkmon.

The cat slid under a car, a bomb landing on the metal roof and exploding, but Gatomon burst out of the resulting cloud on all fours unharmed, angering the Bean Brothers further and continuing their little game of cat-and-mouse.

"Not bad", Tommy repeated, satisfied.

"Quite good," Koichi agreed, eyes narrowing carefully as yet another wave vibrated through the ground before sighing deeply. "However there is a 'but'. Can you guess what it is?"

"The 'but' is a problem," Takuya added, sliding to the ground and leaning against the wall as if hiding from sight now that the danger was leaving, arms falling on his knees and burring his head in them.

Had Tommy not know Takuya the way he did, he would have interpreted the elder boy's position as admittance of defeat.

But because this was Takuya, who was Fire, it was impossible.

"I don't see a 'but'. They can't evolve near the hospital, so they are changing location really quickly despite being much weaker."

"Yes," Koichi agreed again, smiling gently, "the 'but' isn't really visible right now."

"Oh. What is it then?"

"They are too nice." Koichi said it with a soft voice, tainted by sadness that was so often a result of his kindness.

"Yeah." Takuya's voice was muffled by his arms, but Tommy still heard halfhearted irritation. "It is so bad, it makes me wonder if they have ever seen 'war'. The desperation, that goes along with it. Or loss for that matter."

Tommy frowned. "They have. They couldn't fight like this otherwise." Flawless teamwork, strategies that meant death at a bad mistake, using the surroundings to their full potential and, most importantly, trust.

"Yes, exactly. They have, must have, but they are still so soft, that it just makes me wonder." Takuya ran a hand through his hair, sighing exasperated. "That they can still be as kind as they are is… I don't even know it is admirable or naïve and stupid."

"Different worlds, different situations. Who knows what kind of trials they have fought, Takuya," Koichi reminded him, as always the voice of reason.

"I guess, but that kind of attitude won't survive in the trouble we have _now_. It is pretty much kill or be killed. I wonder if they got that."

Tommy shrugged almost indifferently. "Maybe, maybe not, but it won't really change us, right?"

"Of course not," came the blunt reply without missing a beat.

Nodding, Tommy let his eyes leave the outside for good, leaving the past be past in the same beat as easily as closing a book, and focusing on the future instead and making him almost giddy with anticipation. "I thought so. But, say, after we have saved our friends, what are we going to do? I mean we don't have anywhere to return to," he was speaking like he was talking about particularly nice weather and the only unease he felt about it had the size of a sand grain.

"This world is really nice. I'd like to protect it."

"Protect it?" Takuya glanced at him quizzically even as comprehension sunk in and Koichi looked solemn in a way that really made one understand why he was Darkness; face wiped of all expression and an air of seriousness surrounding him gave him a -for others surprising- aura of something.

Takuya burst out laughing. "Oh perfect," he wheezed in between, his voice rich with amused irony, "can you imagine their faces when we break it to them. 'Sorry, but we reversed our roles. From now on we protect you.'" He broke into laughter again and even Tommy snorted at the mental image despite knowing only two of his 'guards' yet.

"But before we can do any helping, protecting or saving we need to clear our own issues first, Takuya," Koichi reminded the hot head with a note of resignation.

Just like that Takuya's laughter evaporated in favour of mild annoyance and exasperation, prompting Tommy to ask. "Issues?"

Takuya grunted. "You got lucky. Koichi and I are thinking double. It makes for a massive headache along with some other things." He extended his hand in front of him, twirling it around a bit playfully before slowly covering it with a coat of candle-sized flames and starring at it in thought.

Tommy didn't even blink.

Through it all though, Tommy was not at all surprised to have Koichi and Takuya agree with him without a word to committing their intentions, lives and peace to save a world that they hardly knew.

After all, why shouldn't they? It wasn't like they had somewhere to return to, something better to do or some 'moral aversion' to fighting.

Too absorbed in their conversation they didn't notice the three Bean Brothers outside loose interest in their little game, turn around and charge with pinpoint accuracy at the wall and window the three of them were standing behind. Even though all of them were technically out of sight.

* * *

><p>The explosion was not different than the hundreds of waves that had been shaking the ground in the last quarter of an hour, yet Matt felt it was a thousand times worse.<p>

He watched the bomb bloom into flames and dust in slow motion, could see how cracks, climbing along the white wall, rose above the smoke screen covering a good portion of the hospital's east wall, and damaged the building five stories up.

There were screams all around, but he blocked them unconsciously out, focusing only on the damage, destruction, panic he, they, had failed to prevent, but he still heard, with unnatural sharpness even, across almost the entire parking area a high screech, akin to metal scratching across metal.

An other explosion followed, blowing away the cloud of dust and revealing a destroyed wall and a full blown fire leaking out of the building through the broken wall, flames licking along the edges.

Matt's insides froze at the sight, but he attempted to ignore his feelings of guilt, anger and shame as the flames parted in a gust of wind by moving shadows.

Three figures came to a stop in the air, floating at least thirty feet above the ground, gleaming in orange light of flames in the darkness, and Matt stopped running with a leadweight dropping in his stomach as he recognized the figures. A flash of DejaVu appeared sickening before his eyes.

"_Takuya!_"Kari screamed, terrified and fearfully, eyes wide beside him.

Their charge could show no sign of if he had noticed them, with a thick red fisted hand wrapped around his neck unmovable and pinning his head skyward despite his struggles and trashing against it. He was carried away higher and higher, away from the hospital and from them.

Piyomon, Patamon, Tentomon and Hawkmon held their distance, unable to do anything in fear of hurting Takuya.

Matt watched as Takuya gripped the iron arm strangling him and burst completely into flames in the blink of an eye, his entire body disappearing in the blinding inferno as the fire quickly grew, latching onto BigMamemon and seemingly swallowing it; without a doubt burning the Digimon alive as soon as its metal armor cracked.

Matt swallowed, half way stuck in between worrying about Takuya and, despite the situation, being appalled by the easy ruthlessness with which Takuya was killing.

And he noticed, with a corner of his mind, the blank faces and lack of reaction from BigMamemon's brothers .

But before he could think about what that could possibly mean there was a bright light, momentarily binding him and when Matt could see again the three bean Digimon had vanished without a trace. Taking Takuya with them.

Matt cursed and suddenly like a spell broken his tunneled vision disappeared.

"Spread out," he yelled over howling sirens and screams of panicked people streaming out of the building, "there is still a chance that the Mamemon Brothers are sill around! Look for them!" Matt didn't really think so, but he couldn't just put off the chance that the light had not been the very same that always appeared when someone got sucked into a PC. Dear God, did he hope it wasn't, but deep down he already knew the truth and it made him sick with worry, disappointment and anger at himself. The emotions clawed away at him, however Matt was good at controlling his them and if he didn't want them to they hardly showed on his face.

Right now he didn't want them, so he stuffed them down, reminding himself that he had to keep everyone organized and useful while Tai was stuck in bed. Matt cut his thoughts right there, not wanting to think about the fact that his best friend was inside the hospital that he had failed to protect and that was _burning_ right now.

Where was the fire brigarde?

Chosen Child or not, against a burning building there was nothing they could do other than bombarding it with freezbombs of MetalGarurumon.

He watched his friends go, making sure they really did do as told, before spinning on his heels and running into the hospital himself, weaving through all the fleeing people with a persistent thought of _where Takuya is Koichi is never far_.

The lobby was overflowing, with both patients and visitors panicking, and Matt pressed himself to the wall to be able to head in the opposite direction than everyone else.

He left the entrance area by turning a sharp left into a wide, absolutely empty corridor with rooms on either side and all doors closed. Already evacuated, he figured.

His hand was caught by something furry. "Matt, what are you doing?" Gabumon looked up at him, not quite glaring, but definitely worried.

"There might be somebody left inside," he said, not having time to explain his reasoning and already moving again. "Do you smell someone?"

Gabumon shook his head. "But the fire is this way." They had reached a crossroad and Matt's partner pointed needlessly straight ahead."It's close."

The way ahead was again riddled with closed doors on either side, but this time there also was a side corridor near the end. Matt frowned, not moving; he could see the dancing glow of flames on the opposite wall, lighting up the corridor with living light, and smoke curling along the ceiling, stifling away the air, but something was wrong.

"It's too cold."

The air even held an almost refreshing cool tone to it, tickling along his skin and chilling along trails of cold sweat.

Still, after a short internal debate Matt decided to take a closer look anyway, because now that the fire was no longer a normal fire there was a chance it was even more dangerous. If it was, they had to know.

Quickly, but still very carefully and with a suspicious eye on his surroundings Matt moved closer.

His neck prickled, an unpleasant shudder ran down his spine and a bad sense of foreboding set his pulse rushing as he got closer to the corridor where he could already see shadows of flames dancing on the floor and wall, hear crackling of flames, stones bursting and crashing to the ground with smoke so thick it was filling the corridors and forcing Matt to crouch. Yet it didn't get any warmer, on the contrary, it got colder.

By now Matt was almost freezing and he was absurdly relieved his breath didn't fog, or at least that he was unable to see if it did.

It was bizarre, even by his standards.

"This is wrong, Matt," Gabumon whispered, speaking quietly for some reason, but there was a strain in his partner's voice that made Matt turn his focus completely.

There was something in it. Something that wasn't irritation at Matt's reckless behavior, that was neither anxiousness in face of danger, nor was it worry for his wellbeing.

It was...fear.

But Gabumon didn't fear. Not like this. He always worried instead or was angry.

Gabumon only feared when Matt or Tai or Agumon or TK or the others were in real danger and in hopelessness; then he feared not being able to protect as he was born and sworn to.

But he never feared like this.

So despite the situation he paused his advance and pushed the burning building to the back of his mind and asked what his partner meant.

Shuddering once as if from a cold breeze, which was impossible with his fur coat, he whispered in a low voice, "I don't really know. But it is in the air. Not a smell. Just a felling, but it almost feels like it is screaming at me. Something is really wrong here."

Matt suddenly had to suppress a shudder himself. "But we still need to find out what is going on with this fire."

Almost as if to emphasize his point a loud crack washed over all other noises and, swallowing hard, Matt threw first a cautious look at the ceiling then to the wall when his sight upwards was obscured by black smoke.

He released a nervous breath catching sight of dark rips on the wall signaling that the fire was at least normal enough to bring the building down on top of them.

Throwing caution in the wind Matt carelessly looked around the corner. What he saw strangled his breath out of him.

There was a boy kneeling on the floor on all fours and even with a wall of flames behind him, making his form flicker, Matt clearly saw his labored breathing; the child was fighting for air with each breath. But that wasn't even what caught his eye; no, what had Matt staring, gaping even was the sparkling, light reflecting wall covering the entire corridor; from the ground over the walls to the ceiling everything was layered with glass.

He blinked and this time his brain jumped to work again.

There was a child.

He had to get him out.

The smoke was so thickly clouding the air that Matt had to crawl forward, but when he did his head shut down again in shock at the icy contact beneath his fingers.

Ice.

Everything was covered in ice, not glass.

Just _next to_ a _blaze of fire_.

"What the hell?"

This time his own voice had the desired effect and Matt remembered he had a kid to save and a building to escape.

He crawled over to the boy and slightly confused about what was wrong with him he opted to first carefully signal that the boy was no longer alone. A faint touch to the shoulder. Matt took it as a very bad sign when even through the shirt the boy was wearing and an inferno flaring not even ten feet away the child was by far the coldest thing around.

Glazed brown eyes blinked up at him from a sweat covered face smeared with dirt, while heaving for air like he suffocating.

Matt let his hand remain on the boy's shoulder and gave it a hopefully reassuring squeeze and plastered a smile on his face. Remain calm. Prevent panic. Gain trust.

"It is all right. Lets get out of here."

Sluggishly focus returned to the absent brown eyes. "Huh?"

"It's dangerous here. Don't you want to go see your parents?" Make them cooperate. "I'm sure they are waiting outside for you."

Incomprehension, then the boy blinked again. "I can't," he croaked out, voice rough and way too deep, "if I go, then the fire will spread. This is a hospital. And it'll be too hot too fast upstairs. Taichi promised to stay in bed. What if he still is there?"

The fact that this boy, who he had never seen before, apparently knew Tai and the little detail of the ice evaporating into steam with every word the boy spoke hardly registered in Matt's already overloaded mind, what he noticed instead was that the child didn't want to leave. "Tai's room is far away from here. He is save."

"Others."

"There is no one here anymore."

Something, hopefully only the ice, cracked again and again as the boy inclined his head to the side. "Koichi."

Matt followed with his eyes, almost afraid what he'd see, and indeed, Koichi was lying awkwardly on the floor, a trail of blood leaking out from under his hair and freezing on the icy ground. Matt's heart dropped, the cold traveling from his fingertips deeply into his guts with the horrifying realization that he had _not seen Koichi_; he would have left the teen behind.

Gabumon hurried over over to Koichi, checking him for wounds as well as he could before giving a nod to Matt and pulling the black haired teen over his shoulders, troubled by the difference in size, but managing non the less.

Another crack. Much louder this time than before and the boy's breathing got heavier still.

"Koichi is fine, too. We have him. Now we need to get out of here."

The boy shook his head. "You are still here. It's hot."

"Yes, it's hot, but it will only get hotter if we stay. So let's go."

Just as the boy, the one they had managed to rescue only a few days ago, opened his mouth to reply four things happened at once.

Following loud crashing the celling broke apart, collapsing entirely.

The boy's eyes rolled back into his head; he dropped unconscious.

All ice instantly hissed away and heat blasted over them like a storm.

Matt's Digivice turned a glowing blue.

* * *

><p>I'm happy to present you the chapter for November; which means I still managed to keep my schedule despite being relatively busy with University. :) On that note I can also already tell you, that the next chapter will be uploaded on Christmas Eve.<p>

I also realized with quite a shock that it has been over a year already since I started writing this; I can hardly believe it.

In this chapter I wrote 'New Tommy' for the first time and I hope his thoughts made you at least begin to understand what kind of influence the Beast Spirit has on a personality. It was fun and really easy to write.

Please leave a vote on my poll about Gatomon on my profile.

As always please review to let me know what you think and what I could do better and, also as always, thanks for last chapter's comments.


	26. Contradicting Decision

Chapter 25: Contradicting Decision

* * *

><p>Flamon=Flamemon<p>

* * *

><p>MetalGarurmon burst outside, flames barely having licked his armor, yet he sunk to the ground as carefully as a wounded animal.<p>

Matt slid off his back, unconscious, as MetalGarurumon tiled his body and he wasted no time devolving to catch his partner, before he contacted with the ground.

In the process he rudely dropped the child he had carried with his fangs, and Koichi, who had also been on his back, was forgotten; Gabumon didn't even notice.

His heart beat fanatically in his chest from the sudden spike of danger and energy and each beat was painfully heavy at the sight of his partner's limp body.

Matt wasn't moving. He hadn't been fast enough.

Unable to see anything but Matt, the blood rushed through his ears, drowning everything out even though the biting air of grime, restless heat and sharp coldness burned in his lungs, even though he knew Matt was going to be fine, that he was just passed out from shock. Unlike the other two he had been dragged outside. But Gabumon just couldn't get himself to think about them, to move his eyes, never mind his body way from Matt.

Time passed and even though it felt longer to Gabumon, only a few moments ticked away until he calmed down, until he no longer felt overwhelmed by worry and scrambled thoughts.

By the time their friends arrived, he was able to tell what had happened inside; finding Koichi and his friend, the ceiling and walls carving in and evolving, somehow getting Matt on his back, before or after his partner blacked out he didn't know, and snapping his jaw around the younger boy and breathing ice and creating enough of a rift in the flames to save Matt.

Only when Gomamon asked, wide eyed and curious, why the boy, who the white Digimon was poking fascinated, was not frozen stiff even though MetalGarurumon had had breathed past him, Gabumon cared to remember how careless he had been.

With the live of another human.

The boy was only not frozen stiff, because of some stroke of luck or coincidence.

He could, maybe, probably, possibly, have died.

Gabumon trembled.

"He represents Ice, I think," Cody said, holding a still banned from fighting Upamon in his arms.

Everyone else would have been seriously hurt, then, Gabumon knew. He couldn't do think straight.

He was a protector. He wasn't supposed to endanger anyone. He was supposed to be careful.

He had to change.

Protecting Matt, came first, his heart told him, but his mind protested that Matt would never forgive him should someone else get hurt because of him.

He had to do better.

Focus more.

Get stronger, get faster.

Be better.

"He does." Izzy, typing with one hand on his laptop and holding it with the other, glanced down at the boy who was getting checked over by Joe, before looking up at his friends, a dark look in his eyes. "But that isn't what we need to worry about."

Gabumon watched him stare at the fire shortly as it was battled with water and shoot an annoyed look at the humans carrying those strange black boxes over their shoulders, pointing them in their direction with different formed sticks in hand.

"We got a new problem with Takuya, again. And what we have to say about it, because there is no way that wasn't caught on tape." The red head's eyebrows knit together in annoyance even as he focused back on his PC. "First of all though, we need to get out of the limelight."

The children's reaction to that was a mix of groans, sighs, nods and glares at the clustering humans creeping closer and closer to them in an attempt to catch the conversation.

Gabumon blocked it all out from there in favor of worrying about Matt; human society was not his forte.

* * *

><p>"<em>We need some place to practice. Do you have one in mind,<em> they said," Yolei grumbled angrily, fighting against the cold and tiredness. "Bring some thick clothes, they should have said."

Yes, it was winter, and yes, it had been natural to wear appropriate clothes, but that hardly counted in the face of the slowly growing lump of ice in front of all their eyes.

It was colder inside her school's gym than outside.

How messed up was that?

Very. Listing somewhere in the top five of her list. And that was not even counting all the other stuff, which she didn't want to think about, that was messed up about this situation.

Yolei, Kari, T.K. and Ken had watch duty; Sora and Mimi were taking care of Davis, who was unable to walk much because of his leg, Tai, who was forbidden from getting up for another few days still, and Matt who hadn't woken up yet, while Joe was the doctor on standby, Cody, with Upamon banned from evolving even, was forced in charge of communicating with the other Chosen Children and on lookout for any messages from Gennai or otherwise concerning Takuya's whereabouts. Izzy was managing the official side meanwhile before he was going to meet up them to gather more of his beloved data on their charges.

Who were the main reason she was not sleeping in the middle of the night, instead standing in her school's gym and watching the remaining two dimension hoppers to prevent them from getting kidnapped as well.

Yolei, however, did not want to think about the currently practicing boy Cody's age –Tom…something or another. She did not want to think about the fact that the boy was inside an ever growing ice sphere. She also did not want to think about what it logically meant. Neither did she want to think about the boy –or his friends- personally.

If she thought too much, if she rationalized too much, if she analyzed too much, then she'd _maybe_ understand them a tiny bit more and then she'd loose her anger.

She, they, couldn't do that.

Not only because she didn't want to, but also if she did the death of Labramon would be forgotten.

And that mustn't happen.

Because no matter how troubled, how painful or hard, nothing gives anyone right to treat lives like tools.

Some might die, it might be inevitable, but making sure they live is still most important.

If she forgot that, then whatever were they fighting for?

Yolei could still see the blast, orange flames flashing.

"Tommy is almost done," was announced and Yolei ignored the speaker on principle, determinedly fixing her eyes on the by now huge piece of ice of at least two stories; the size made it quite clear why Koichi had claimed practicing inside an apartment was a bad idea.

Suddenly the sphere cracked, ice trickling away into nothing as they fell from the form of a giant white…Yeti. With double bladed Axes probably as long as Yolei was tall.

She stared her mind unable to connect the monstrous digimon with the small lively boy.

* * *

><p>"You took just over seven minutes, Blizzarmon," Koichi informed his friend, noting the others' shock, but politely not looking at them as they tried to gather their minds, assuming they were this surprised because so far they had ever only seen Human Spirits.<p>

Blizzarmon grunted, a deep rumbling sound, puffing white clouds of breath and Koichi took the lack of non-verbal reply as a sign of the pain from the evolution that was without a doubt much worse than with Human Spirits.

Tommy had passed out from it the first time after all; taking that into consideration, seven minutes was an improvement.

But either way, Tommy had no choice; having picked Blizzarmon, his body was digitalizing with his Beast Spirit's data. He wasn't able to become Chakmon until all of his flesh and blood had been changed.

The same went for Koichi, too; KaiserLeomon was out of reach still.

That was the reason they both were practicing.

Thinking of the pain Tommy had to endure, though, evolving was a frightening thought. Koichi didn't think he'd have the courage to do as Tommy, who, youngest or not, probably had the most courage out of their group.

Takuya and Zoe were really more of a reckless-abandon type than courage, Koichi thought with fondness as he watched Blizzarmon cut his axes through the air a few times at terribly slow pace.

But Tommy had chosen to face the obstacle now rather than pushing it ahead of himself until he could no longer avoid it.

It made Koichi really glad Tommy was here with him; in Takuya's and Koji's absence he was the only able to inspire him to take action. Zoe would have had to drag him along and JP would have had to reason him into it, but they couldn't really make him act out of his own accord.

Fire was free, Light was his twin, and Ice was pure.

Wind on the other hand was unpredictable and Lightning was unsuspected. Both weren't compatible with his elusive Darkness.

After managing to hold Blizzarmon for a few moments the big beast turned into lifeless snow, crumbing and falling apart and leaving just coldness and Tommy behind, who grimaced –as Koichi knew- in pain, hugging his arms around his torso as if to prevent himself from disappearing just as Ice did.

However, Tommy didn't cry, didn't complain and always tried to be brave. Even now; not allowing any of the four human and four non-human bystanders suspect anything they didn't want or need to know.

Tommy really was amazing, Koichi witnessed again.

Their eight new friends, broken out of their stupor at Blizzarmon's disappearance and were falling into exited chatter directed at Tommy, moving closer to the younger boy.

Koichi interfered. "That isn't good enough." As predicted at once all attention was focused on him; any kind of attention was the wrong kind for Koichi, but in this case it had to be done. Koichi knew just from the pained half smile from Tommy out of the fours' sight that he wouldn't appreciate a slap on the shoulder or physical contact at all or being interviewed by overzealous little creatures. Tommy's bones were probably still soft, every muscle in his body aching and contradicting painfully.

So he did as he had to by giving his voice just a little hardness; he was Darkness, deceiving, elusive, but strong. If he'd have to earn more ire or disdain or anger to keep his friends happy and their business secret, then he'd do it.

And if there was a thing that disturbed their guards turned charges, it was their seemingly uncaring attitude.

Yolei, who was still angry from the incident with Koichi's little brother, was the first to glare, her eyes turning hard and intense with passion, her lips drawing back in snarl, her feet standing shoulder wide, her knees straight.

She wouldn't become violent, Koichi concluded, even as her friends were watching her carefully, their focus not on what he had said, but on what Yolei might do.

"You weren't any better," she snapped. "You are pathetic!"

"I know," Koichi admitted immediately, defusing the on sided tension and replacing it with something more interesting now that he had the eyes on him. "It's the same with me. We are too slow at the moment. You would have probably ended any fight here by the time Tommy or I would be done with our evolution." He smiled, watching pleased how she visibly deflated now that he'd taken the wind out of her sails. "But that is the reason we need to practice."

Yolei continued to glare, while the others sighed, relieved that her temper didn't explode.

"That's natural, right? To practice something you aren't good at," Tommy added, seemingly completely fine again, though Koichi knew better from tense shoulders and stiff steps as he came up next to him taking the stopwatch.

"That's right," Kari agreed with a sight frown, "but I have been wondering, why do you need so much time? My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I'm pretty sure Takuya didn't take as long."

Koichi blinked. "He didn't?"

"No. I'd say it felt like half a minute or so, but it was right in battle, so I can't be sure." Shrugging helplessly she looked at the others, but received only lost expressions in return.

Koichi came to two conclusions. "I can't say something definite for sure, but it is either because all of our first evolutions are that fast or it is just Takuya. Between him and his Spirits had never been much of a difference in the first place."

"I'd say it was only Takuya. You were hurt when you evolved to Lowemon, but I wasn't and I did take longer even counting only till I blacked out." Tommy said, thinking, before he broke into a grin. "Besides, do you remember Flamon?"

Koichi smiled too. "Yeah, Koji didn't get over it for months. He couldn't stand it that Takuya did something he couldn't so easily."

"I thought the entire situation was really funny; Takuya suddenly was half his size, on eyelevel with Chakmon and smaller than me." Tommy chucked, delighted at the very memory of a time when he wasn't the smallest.

Koichi allowed himself another precious few moments to dwell in happy, free memories, before pushing them aside with some hesitation. He wanted those days to come again. Where they were all together, where they could all fight with ease, where they didn't have to sharply control their focus as not to get lost.

"Anyway, it's my turn again, now. Ready, Tommy?" Koichi asked, letting an incomplete ring of dark rimmed data appear around his hand, confirming that he still needed a few tries. Letting the stripes fade he looked up at Tommy, who was looking at the other eight beings thoughtfully, not replying.

"You know," began Tommy, "I think you should go home. Digimon can't fight if they are hungry and humans can't think when tired. You are both." He looked smiling at the digimon partner who were napping away in their partners' arms or shoulders.

It took Koichi two beats to guess Tommy's reasoning. "I agree. The last attack was a few hours ago. It'd be unreasonable to try anything now. Protecting us right now is wasted effort, I think. And besides, either Tommy or I are going to be ready to fight anyway. Izzy wanted to stop by soon as well. So we won't be alone." With them gone he and Tommy could talk without editing and coding every sentence, plus the resident Chosen Children could get some rest. They really needed it.

It was turning out, however that they weren't going to get a few moments alone; Yolei looked at them like they were crazy even though Poromon was nodding away in her arms, Kari just blinked at them, face surprised while Gatomon on her shoulder glanced around, evaluating Koichi's words, T.K. sighed, shaking his head slowly as not to disturb Patamon on his hat and Ken frowned, holding a sleeping Minomon gently.

"Don't be stupid!" Yolei shot back, taking a deep breath to start a rant. "As if -"

"Actually it is not a bad idea," Ken interrupted her softly, looking at everyone in turn, his eyes settling on the temperamental red head. "Everyone is tired, and you and Poromon have to recover from Double City along with everything else."

"But that doesn't mean we can just leave them here," Yolei argued hotly, gesturing at Koichi and Tommy as if they weren't present, not letting either Kari or T.K object before her.

"That is true." Ken smiled. "T.K. and I will stay here and you and Kari go get some rest. We can change shifts later. We can't fight on the brink of exhaustion."

"Allright," Kari conceded after glancing at T.K. once, "but we'll be back in a few hours."

"Yes, please. And bring some food along that isn't hospital made," T.K. said good naturally, waving them off as Kari pulled on Yolei's arm, stopping the elder girl from protesting wordlessly as she walked towards the double doors of the gym, disappearing in the night accompanied by Yolei's lively voice speaking away about how she didn't like leaving.

Watching, Koichi sighed, feeling indescribable tired and old.

"Are you two sure you are fine?" Tommy questioned, his voice hinting at what he thought.

"No problems," T.K. replied, patting a sleeping Patamon on his head, "unless, of course, you'd want us to be gone?" His eyes narrowed calculating, and gazing in Koichi's direction with a bit of suspicion.

Tommy, unperturbed, cracked a Takuya like grin. "Privacy would be nice, but there is no need to out of our way to get it. Everything will work out just fine."

The two other boys raised an eyebrow sceptically, while a small smile lifted Koichi's lips as he moved to put some distance between him and the others. Giving a nod at Tommy to start timing, he turned his focus inwards, reaching out to the power deep and strongly inside him. It came to his call almost frighteningly easily, spreading through his limps, while staying just under the surface like a second layer of skin. When he felt the darkness flowing freely, cleanly and evenly through him, he removed a final blocking thought, letting it seep out of him, covering his skin in a layer of dark violet energy.

Not a second later his muscles began to constrict, stretching painfully into another form, his bones started burning, reforming and changing.

It was by far not as painful as it had been the first time, though, or even the second time just a few minutes ago. To his shock, Koichi even found a small part of his mind free to wander, think about something else, other than the pain clouding his senses.

And he remembered again, against his will, a time when the six of the were wandering through the digital world, laughing, joking, fighinting together, relying on each other; a time of happiness, free of the hollowness nagging inside him.

But... But he had to move forward, not look back.

It didn't serve him any purpose to remember when he could do things more productive. He had to move forward.

Yet he couldn't, even though he should.

It was hard.

He needed Koji or Takuya.

Otherwise…

No, he told himself, not yet. However there, he saw now, was a problem. As long as he still had determination he was not ready.

Lowemon, KaiserLeomon didn't have it.

Darkness didn't have it.

It was the reason Darkness was so often corrupted by evil. By itself Darkness was absolutely passive, didn't act, only react and didn't have a goal or ambition. It just was.

To make the holder of Darkness do anything either Evil, Light or Fire was needed.

The latter two weren't here and Koichi didn't want to become the first again, so he was unable to fuse more with Lowemon even when his body became fully digitalized. As long as a part of Koichi continued to remain at odds with a part of Lowemon, of Darkness itself, he would remain as he was now.

Unable to move forward, to changed, despite the will to do so. But once he no longer desired to, he'd change.

It was quite ironic, but he couldn't do anything about it, not just yet. Because even if Tommy was still with him, Ice had only the influence to make him do little and he knew it wouldn't be as much as they needed.

So as long as Koji was still captured and Takuya lost again, he couldn't become more like Darkness. If it meant he couldn't fight much, then fine.

Wasn't that already too passive a thought?

* * *

><p>"I just can't understand it," Yolei sighed, frustrated by more than just her increasingly heavy limps, "how can they not care? Not just hardly about each other but about everyone else?" Yolei ranted as she and Kari were walking back towards Kari's home, which was dubbing as a base tonight, not seeing the troubled look on her companion's face.<p>

"We don't need to understand it, I think." Kari mused aloud when Yolei had to take a break to catch her breath. "We are different from each other, but now we are in a situation where we have to work together despite our differences. It's hard, but if we can then we won't lose. And they are nice people, our friends."

"Not mine." Yolei shot back immediately, exasperated, but not surprised at Kari's openness. "I don't want to be friends with people who'd throw innocents, us or each other away without a second thought."

Kari looked at her, disapproving. "You know that's not true. Takuya jumped from Nefertimon's back-"

"-forcing us to save him!"

"-to find out if his friends are alive. And they trust us to save their friends."

"Because they have no other choice!"

"And," Kari said, her voice stern in a way that made Yolei feel like a misbehaving child despite being the elder of the two, "all three of them gave up their humanity to help."

Yolei swallowed, feeling vaguely sick at the reminder; sick, remembering it was her failure that forced the people she was supposed to protect to make the sacrifice, and sick at how easily it was accepted within both their groups.

"It doesn't give them the right to act as they want. This is _our_ world. _We_ protect it. We always have!"

She felt tears prickling in her eyes, unconsciously pressing her arms closer around Poromon. Kari didn't say anything in reply, but she and Gatomon both looked carried with them same expression of sadness.

The deep night lit up; orange light threw dark shadows in front of them.

Cold with dread Yolei whirled around, facing the direction they had just come from and she watched horrified as column of fire faded quickly and soundlessly.

"I knew it!" She cursed, poking Poromon awake, making him evolve to Aquilamon and jumping on his back while Kari chose Nefertimon. Not even ten seconds had passed and the ground was already disappearing under them, but a new column of blue tinted fire flashed up again, but to Yolei's immense relieve there was no sound of buildings breaking or explosions.

* * *

><p>The problem with mindless minions was, Takuya concluded as he starred down at the smoldering remains of what had once been the Mamemon Brothers, that they had no sense of self-preservation whatsoever.<p>

Normally one lets go when arms are melting.

Glowing streams of data materialized around the three of them, prompting Takuya to raise an eyebrow in mild surprise before he gently touched all three circles and gathered them into his palm in the form of a pale glowing orb, leaving floating eggs behind.

He shouldn't have been so dismissive of his D-Tector. Now he had to carry the data around until…

Until he either found his way to the next best TV – again the D-Tector would have been helpful- on his own, was found again or knelt over and died.

Well then, what to do now, Takuya thought with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu, as he identified his surroundings to be once again a forest, though not the same as when he first arrived. Only this time he had a proper recollection of how he got to be lost – first kidnapped and then cooking mindless tools, who were too stupid to realize that they were burning alive- and knew what not to do –being captured and used.

To that end Takuya had now two options. One, running from here really fast and really far, or two, stay right here and let those who doubtlessly will come to exactly this spot-even if he had no idea how other than that it probably was the same method Phelesmon used to find him the first time and how the Mamemon Brothers discovered them- will think he had run while he was in reality just sitting up in a tree and watching.

Two immediate choices.

But, Takuya flexed his fist, he could also let himself get captured playing weak and then bust his friends and himself out. He could test his new limits then.

But no, he shook his head disagreeing, even if there was a certain amount of thrill and fun in action and fighting, this was not a game. Not a game at all; he had lives to consider that'd be lost depending on his choices.

The resent Chosen Children may think differently and Takuya may not have done any effort in correcting them, but he did care about how many lives were lost. A lot.

He just didn't cry about things that couldn't be changed or sacrifices that were necessary to do what must be done; to save everyone else.

He also had to take into consideration that he –gosh, was it only minutes ago?- decided to protect this couple of worlds; meaning preventing the Digidestined from running head first into danger and dieing–never mind that it had been Takuya himself who had run them into danger lately- and not getting himself into situations from which he'd need to be rescued –also never mind that he wouldn't want to be rescued.

This much thinking was giving him a headache and devil knows he had enough of them even without voluntarily adding to it.

Still, what to do?

Running.

If that failed he could still change strategies later.

Takuya didn't think about which direction to pick as branches and leaves overhead stole away all light, leaving him to almost purely feel his way forward as he hurried past trees as fast as he could blindly, because even lighting the littlest of fires was something akin to a flare signal.

The complete darkness however screwed with his sense of time and soon Takuya couldn't even guess anymore how long he had been wandering around. Not to mention that a tortuously boring scene was getting clearer by the second before his mind's eye.

His foot caught on something and Takuya bit his tongue to keep from swearing as he landed on all fours, his neck still hurting from being almost broken by a red metal fist and his face planted into leaves of some plant, the touch stinging on his cheek.

Great. Just freaking great.

He lifted a now muddy hand to his face fully expecting it to find the silk wetness of fresh blood, but he was pleasantly surprised when his hand found nothing but now-dirty skin.

Lucky.

Takuya got up and moving again, this time taking his steps more carefully and closing his eyes, relying on his other senses as sight was pretty much useless anyway to move forward, concentrating on any sign of trackers.

None came, and the heavy tension on his shoulders that he had expertly ignored began to fade. That was until he threw up once and was swaying dangerously on his feet, cold sweat running down his spine, his heartbeat becoming heavy and painful, with things appearing before his eyes that he had no business remembering clearly in this situation. Takuya thought that maybe he hadn't been so lucky after all.

The last thing he saw with his closed eyes before his mind and body shut down was shadows dancing at on a wall of stone and earth and a single fire burning for seemingly all of eternity.

* * *

><p>Merry Christmas. :)<p>

This is the chapter for December. I don't have much to say about this chapter, other than that I'll try to jump fewer from one p.o.v to another from now on. Though, I have no idea if it'll fit with the story, so I will have to see about that.

Thank you as always for last chapter's reviews and please comment on this one as well.

There is a poll on my profile about Gatomon. Please leave a vote.


	27. We

Chapter 26: 'We'

* * *

><p>Petimeramon = DemiMeramon<p>

DeathMeramon= SkullMearamon

* * *

><p>The night's wind was cutting cruelly into Yolei's skin as she buried herself in Aquilamon's feathers. Her eyes stung from the cold, tearing a bit, but she couldn't bring herself to close them for protection, no matter how quickly.<p>

Another fire column lit up the sky and this time the sound of fighting reached her together with a wave of comfortably warm air. The orange fire didn't disappear for a seemingly long time, and when it did it shattered into hundreds of sparks. Sparks, which she identified through hurting eyes to be the size of torches; too big for leftovers.

Aquilamon, high in the air, circled over her gym once, twice and Yolei was relieved to see that the fighting took place in the yard. There was the flare of electricity, signaling Izzy and Tentomon's presence and as they sunk closer to the ground Yolei managed to see, or perhaps, sense the waves of Darkness emitted by Koichi, who looked nothing like the Human she knew.

Her eyes, suddenly blinded, were drawn to the clump of ice just behind the humanoid digimon. She found it strange, but not surprising that she had seen the creature of Darkness in a dark courtyard faster than a mountain of ice that was sparkling like a diamond from the numerous floating torches, which, at second look, were in truth small flaming digimon.

Shaped like ghosts, the little fire types floated through the air, making noises akin to high laughter as they spotted Aquilamon. Their blue eyes stood out eerily against the otherwise completely orange skin.

Her partner flapped his wings, gaining altitude as he pushed the dangerous digimon away from them with the air currents. Only a startled call of surprise saved her from collision with Nefertimon's paws by making her duck and lean sharp to the side.

Wanting to either curse or grin, Yolei figured it would just be their luck if Kari and she knocked each other out because of not paying attention.

Kari grinned weakly at her and Yolei cracked one in return, but in sync both smiles slid off their faces. Kari looked down, her eyes gaining the expression they only ever had during fights.

Yolei ran her mind back to focus again, too. And immediately she noticed the very obvious lack of Ken and T.K. along with their partners.

"I'm going to look for the others." Kari said, and Nefertimon increased the pace of her wings, flying out of hearing range before Yolei could protest or think of a better plan.

"We need to get to the ground somehow," Yolei decided, as Aquilamon was forced to dodge one of the fire ghosts. As long they were in the air, the little torch digimon had the gigantic advantages of freer movement and element advantage. From the looks of it the fire digimon were at most Rookie-level, but their flaming nature would harm Aquilamon plenty from just a single contact.

Yolei fisted her hands in her partner's feathers reflexively as he rolled off to the side, losing height and pursuers in the same in breath. Still she couldn't help the jolt her stomach gave and the fearful tensing of her muscles when the ground was suddenly that much closer.

But the move did its work and a few seconds later Yolei slid from her partner's back to the ground with still weak legs. Hurrying to Izzy Aquilamon devolved, shrinking back to his more practical form in this condition. Truthfully, none of Hawkmon's evolutions were of much use against these little pests. Unlike Kabuterimon, who was perfectly capable of shooting them down without damage to himself or them.

"What happened?" She asked, right to the point, hoping for coincidence, but not believing it for a second. Two attacks in the real world at the precise right place and with fortunate timing. She hoped, but she was no fool.

"I'm not sure." Izzy glanced at the profile of Petimereamon and then back at the Digimon drifting about in the air. "Two Meramon and all these little ones just appeared suddenly. Out of nowhere." There was a note of frustration in his voice that told Yolei a lot more.

"There has to be a gate open around here somewhere." There always had to be a gate. What shape or form they had might differ as did the lactation, but not their existence. And gates, active or inactive, open or closed, should appear on Izzy's sensors.

"I know." Izzy ranked a hand through his hair and called a detailed card of the surroundings up on his laptop's screen. There were a number of red dots located in the buildings, but none showed any recent activity. "It was the same back at the hospital. I can't find any."

"Damn," she breathed, getting a bad feeling that had nothing to do with the current fighting. Glancing behind them she watched the humanoid Darkness digimon expel a steady wave of energy, akin to a force field, which kept the numerous Petimeramon at bay. While Yolei wasn't sure what all the energy did one in contact it looked to her curiously like the small fire types were simply floated away like leaves in the wind. Tommy's sphere of ice was located inside Lowemon's protection, but she had no desire to seek protection from it. Even if none of Hawkmon's forms could protect her without violence.

She clenched her Digivice in her hand, and turned her eyes away, preferring to watch how Kabuterimon flew around, sending out electricity and making the Petimeramon drift to the ground once hit. The small digimon were huge in number, even more so than what they seemed at first glance. The ground was already thoroughly covered in unconscious or paralyzed shapes and the sky was still alarmingly full.

The small fire types' constant whispers made a chill run down her spine. It sounded too much like an open inferno than small controlled fires.

In a split second she wondered about Takuya and answered the question herself before it was even fully formed. She had failed. They all had failed.

A loud crack, so out of place with the ghostly whispers and Kabuterimon's vibrating wings, made her jump. Unconsciously she tightened her jacket as Tommy's ice split open and crumbled to snowflakes and ice dust, all reflecting the orange light. It would have looked beautiful had Yolei had a mind for it at the moment.

The Yeti like digimon puffed clouds of breath from his nostrils and Yolei had been so transfixed on it that she didn't notice the other walk up to them.

She jerked at the deep voice, so unlike Koichi soft words. "What do you want to do? Sent them all back through a portal?"

His eyes were a deep human brown, but she could not read him at all. "That would be the ideal idea," she replied instead, keeping her tone polite, their last verbal difference still fresh in mind.

Having expected some kind of arguing, possibly pointing out the easier way of slaughtering them all, it came as a surprise when the digimon, which was at least three heads taller that her, simply looked at her with eerily expressionless eyes and agreed in a blank, "understood."

Lowemon then simply turned back to face Blizzarmon and materialized a spear in his hands, saying quietly, possibly even to himself, "this is much more difficult. But it is the right thing to do."

"Funny, coming from you." The words were snapped out, before Yolei even properly registered the thought, yet she couldn't bring herself to regret them. She felt Hawkmon tug on her jeans and Izzy's eyes on her, but she ignored them as anger bubbled inside her and a fresh memory of an ending live flashed in front of her.

"Not at all," Lowemon or Koichi said blankly, glancing back at her over his shoulder, "you just don't know us."

Yolei thought she knew them rather well, but she scratched the thought with a defying heated glare at the two. She didn't know them. She had an image of them, a picture, a stereotype, but she didn't know them. She didn't know what made them the way they are, what reasons they had to act the way they do or how they thought.

She didn't want to know either.

So instead she watched as the two of them wielded their weapons fluidly, knocking the Petimeramon to the ground and leaving them there. Yolei found she was surprised the small flame types didn't bust into data then and there, but pleased as well.

As she evolved Hawkmon to Shurimon and she noticed, form the corner of her eye, because there is no way she'd actually want them to know she was watching, the very careful way they moved.

There were many words she could use for description, she hadn't expected hesitantly to be one of them. Hesitantly or perhaps controlled in a precise way that should be expected from fighters, but somehow wasn't.

Shuirimon was cleaning the school yard, carefully only touching the little digimon with iron parts of his shuriken hands to pile them all up to a mountain ready to be sucked through a gate, but Yolei wasn't watching him work. More and more of her attention was drawn to the two _digimon _she ought to protect. The more she watched, the more she was sure. There was something distinctively wrong about their movements. Nothing much, of course and nothing bad either, rather it looked like the movements were so focused, so precise, that there was nothing else on their minds.

If anything, should it really be so, that sent warning bells off in her head.

Takuya and his group of friends was nothing if not brutally battle minded. And to fight, to do battle, to be good at it one always needed to focus at least on the surroundings as well. Even she knew that with her second row seat. So then how come it didn't seem like the two of them paid any attention to anything other than themselves and the plenty petimeramon they smacked to the ground. It was distinctively offsetting, because no matter what so far she could not accuse them of not caring about their friends; strangers and innocents were a different matter.

Until Blizzarmon halted, stopping like a machine with a faulty gear, Yolei didn't have any proof for thoughts.

The yeti had his axes raised, flat side poised to smack the petimermon floating in front of him to the round, yet he froze in mid strike, breath puffing, and the longer Yolei watched, definitely uneven.

She was about to call out to him when a blast of fire hit the giant fur covered digimon to his knees and then to the ground. Blizzarmon grunted, and Yolei found her view blocked by her partner as he slipped to guard her.

Automatically Yolei's eyes sought the source of the one intentional aggressive attack and found her eyes lingering in a gap between two school buildings.

Cursing inwardly at how they were in a prime situation to be surrounded Yolei saw blue fire flickering lightening the darkness. The fire gleamed off a blank silver face mask highlighted by two red glowing eyes and a wide black gap for the mouth. Silver chains and rings reflected the light, giving the humanoid, punk styled digimon a disembodied appearance.

"Who are you?" Yolei demanded loudly, and her voice made her once again aware of the silence around them.

"I am the great DeathMeramon!" The digimon proclaimed, in a rumbling but surprisingly high voice. Stepping out of the gap, the newly named DeathMeramon lit a hand on fire not unlike how she had seen Takuya show off. "And I have come for you two." He pointed predictably at Blizzarmon and Lowemon. "Give up or be destroyed!"

Boisterous and arrogant attitude did little to reassure Yolei, but she was not one to be intimidated and as soon as her mind got a silent moment she realized that it was a bit strange for a digimon, level Ultimate according to Izzy's mumblings, to come and challenge them alone. In the real world.

It was a move going from reckless to downright illogical.

It made Yolei think that there was probably more to this than what she saw and immediately she flashed back to Kari, who despite the amount of time still wasn't back.

They had problems, too.

The petimeramon were intended to buy time so that Izzy and her couldn't go back them up. That also implied that, as it took this Death Mearamon so long to act, that the situation on Kari and Ken's end was coming or already was closed, and not in a good way.

Yolei's heart skipped a beat and clenched painfully, but she pushed her worry down.

First things first.

Hardly ten seconds had passed.

Blizzarmon was standing upright again, his axes held in a distinctively more aggressive way, and Lowemon and noticed the commotion, holding position now in front of his friend with some kind of shadowy shield on his arms.

"You can't have them," Izzy said frankly and unnecessarily, not even glancing up at the Ultimate, as he scanned through the information his digianalyzer supplied. He didn't have his Digivice in hand and Kabuterimon was still circling above and shooting petimeramon down. AtlurKabuterimon was a bit big to do any fighting here.

That meant it was Kabuterimon vs Petimeramon and Shurimon, Blizzarmon and Lowemon vs DeathMeramon.

Even if there was a difference in level it was quite possible. "Shurimon!"

Her partner unstrapped Kusanagi from his back and threw it. The battle had begun.

Next to Izzy under the protection of Kabuterimon she was save and could spend her attention on watching the fight.

Not unexpectedly DeathMeramon smacked Shurimon's the star shaped weapon aside and it impaled into the ground. But the move and diversion of attention was all invitation Lowemon needed and stabbed forward, his lace clearly aimed at vitals and only missing because DeathMeramon evaded by moving backwards. It proved to be a mistake when it stood with his back to a wall and all of a sudden Blizzarmon came falling from above, the axes' bladed blurring with the speed at which they moved.

It was superb teamwork, as the digimon was trapped only three moves into the fight, but even with Blizzramon's deadly attack, Lowemon's threatening spear only inches away from making contact with skin and Shurimon providing impartial long distance backup from behind DeathMeramon escaped with a startling graceful cartwheeling to the side and then putting space between them by jumping backwards.

Shurimon aimed one of his bladed arms at the landing spot and hit a leg with precision between the silver rings strapped over the back cloth. But DeathMeramon was an Ultimate and Shurimon's throw hardly a scraped the skin, never mind sever the limp as Yolei had feared.

Still, DeathMeramon howled out in rage and with a cry of "Heat Chain" launched one of the chains decorating his torso at Surimon with high speed. Shurimon evaded, barely, but them the chain curved in midflight homing in on Shurimon, who had no way of defense in the air and with Kusanagi still pierced into the ground meters away.

The chain never came into contact with her partner and Yolei hadn't known it was possible to feel that relieved as her eyes sought out the reason for the chain's sudden jerked stop.

Lowemon had pierced his lance into the chain's links and nailed it to the ground with a powerful thrust. To Yolei's surprise he let go of his weapon quickly and crossed his arms over his chest, with his feet digging into the ground. A wave of yellow energy burst from him towards DeathMearamon. The fire digimon countered by spitting blue fire from his mouth.

A pressure wave of wind burst through the air and seconds later when she was able to focus again the fight was over.

DeathMeramon was tied up in Blizzarmon's hair-like strings, its arms and legs spread, with one axe tiled at the neck and one at the ribs.

Except for the whispers of the petimeramon all was silent.

Almost lazily Lowemon pulled his spear from the ground and walked silently over to the blue burning form. He angled his weapon just above the heart, making contact with the skin.

Yolei swallowed.

The air was oppressive with finality.

DeathMeramon's flames flickered in rage and humiliation even as he hissed threatening breath his breath.

"Don't kill him."

Her voice was soft, for once not demanding, but asking, pleading almost, yet it dominated the school yard and drew all eyes to her, human or nor.

There was no verbal reply, but DeathMeramon also didn't crumble into data.

She swallowed past the lump in her throat.

"Yolei! Everyone!"

Yolei looked up, suddenly feeling like she could breathe again. Nefertimon, Pegasusmon and Stingmon were flying in the air, carrying golden net between them. They all looked a bit worse for wear; Pegasusmon's tail was smoldering, Nefertimon's wings were black for some reason and Stingmon was careful one of his arms and a leg.

But they were all alive and well.

And victorious.

Yolei grinned. "Kari! Ken! T.K.!" She greeted back, waving. There were only a dozen pertimeramon remaining or so were not enough or even remotely fast enough to get close to the trio.

"Brother!" Twin voices wailed from the golden net suddenly and Yolei didn't need to look hard to identify a Meramon and a BlueMeramon.

"Brothers!" The DeathMearamon wailed back from his captivity, sounding a lot less threatening than before.

The net was set to the ground, next to the pile of defeated petimeramon and her friends all set foot back on the ground. Immediately her friends' partners devolved, shrinking back to their In-training forms; a level lower than usual. Kari held Plotmon, who has a paw at an odd angle and who was colored strangely reddish, tenderly in her arms. T.K. set Tokomon on his head, though that doesn't mean the little bat like digimon wasn't injured, while Ken let Minomon hang from his outstretched arm. It looked somewhat funny, but Yolei interpreted it, considering the enemy, that Minomon was covered in burns, which made simple touch hurt.

"We found these two," Kari stated, as all their eyes drifted over the scene; DeathMearamon just one move away from execution, pertimeramon all piled up or still riddling the ground, Yolei, Shurimon, Izzy, Kabuterimon all unhurt. "We figured out it was a distraction half way, but couldn't come back. Luckily it doesn't look like we were needed."

"You weren't," remarked Izzy and Yolei saw him set up a gate on his screen. "Let's finish up here and go home. I still want to work on the Black Box."

"Agreed. We need sleep." Ken glanced at Lowemon and Blizzarmon. "You too."

"Fine," grumbled a deep voice and Yolei remembered with a startle that she hadn't heard Tommy in digimon-form talk yet. The voice didn't fit the young, bright boy at all.

The next thought she had was a startled realization that she hadn't noticed Blizzarmon and Lowemon move closer at all. With that size and fur color that was a surprise.

An even bigger surprise was when Blizzarmon tightened his bindings and Lowemon moved in to loom over their captive, giving off an aura of...not evil; closer to power, but definitely dark.

His spear pierced skin and blood ran down the metal till it dropped to the ground. "Where is the castle?" Lowemon growled. "Who sent you?"

All appreciation Yolei had for the other group flew out of the window and the anger she associated with them by now bubbled back up strong and fierce.

Still, she didn't interfere, clenching her fists instead, averting her eyes and seeking out Hawkmon at her legs. Because these digimon talked with their own words and own mind, because they thought with their own head and formed a strategy that while simple was still good, because they had character that made them worry about each other.

These digimon were not controlled. They were free and attack out of their own notion.

It made them their enemy, if not evil.

And they needed information.

The DeathMeraramon didn't seem like it wanted to cooperate and spit fire in Lowemon's face. Lowemon was having none of it and had already disappeared from reach; the blue fire scorched the ground. Blizzarmon's axes dug into the skin till the fire stopped.

Both Digimon repeated the process. First with DeathMeramon, then with the BlueMeramon and with the Meramon. Nothing worked, not even when they were threatened with each others safety.

This wouldn't do.

"Hey!" She called, suddenly unable to hold her anger back and she took one step after another till she could spit the Ultimate in the face. She utterly ignored the warnings from her friends and the stiffening of Blizzarmon as she got close. "Why are you doing this?" She demanded loudly. "You are digimon! Why are you helping destroy your world?"

In the back of her mind, the part that was still able to think rational and not ruled by anger, whispered to her that this personal line of questioning was going to get results much easier than demands on the bigger scheme and wasn't she smart to do that.

And indeed, answers she got after the DeathMeramon tried spitting at her. Tried being the keyword as she smashed her fist into the digmion's jaw and sent the fire distinctively off course. Her fist hurt like hell, but she was still too angry to care.

"Power. Respect. There is nothing _we_ wouldn't deserve."

The way he said was telling. Not only would they not get anything more out of them, but it also hinted at something more. The way it pronounced the 'we' implied he was talking about only the numerous petimeramon, the one Meramon, the one BlueMearamon and itself, or it hinted at a larger group.

Yolei had a feeling it was the latter, but what kind out group she couldn't even begin to guess.

She was still thinking it over by the time the sky turned from black to gray as she sunk into bed and started thinking about it again first thing as she woke up after one poor hour of sleep to go to school.

* * *

><p>This chapter wasn't exactly hard to write or anything, but I simply couldn't focus on Digimon. First I was stuck in a Star Wars fever and then now with Naruto. It made it incredibly difficult to simply think about what the hell was going to happen in this chapter. Which is why I upload this chapter for February as the last hours of said month are ticking away. I even seriously thought about postponing and only publish next month, but I said I'd make one for February and so I had to. Alas, this is the result.<p>

Please leave a comment and a vote. :)


	28. A little bit of peace

Chapter 27: A little bit of peace

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><p>"We've got a problem," Izzy began, all grave business and seriousness in his voice the day after the Meramon attack. "For some reason our location is completely known to the enemy. And while that is not overly impossible to find out, what should be impossible to find out is the <em>pinpoint<em> location and entering of the real world in general, never mind to said exact said locations.

"The appearances of Drift Digimon because of the thin barriers are a different phenomenon altogether; they appear fewer and wider spread, worldwide. Not focused on Odaiba and our group. Moreover, we also know that no digimon passed to the real world even when Mimi opened a number of gates to sent the lost digimon in the city back to the digital world. Point is, no one is supposed to be able to enter the Real World.

"But they did. And we don't know how," Izzy said, frustration apparent at his lack of knowledge as he looked at them gathered in Tai and Kari's room. "There were no traces of active gates in the area. None that had been opened within the last week, anyway. Worse yet –though so far it _could_ be just a coincidence- the attacks were always happening around what we know to be their targets." Inclining his head in the direction of the two boys he finished, leaning back in the sole chair in the room that he had claimed.

Yolei wasn't particularity bothered by sitting on the floor, though. She enjoyed the chance to lean again Ken's shoulder, using tiredness as a half backed excuse. Not that she needed one, but habit was a strange thing. Poromon hummed silently as she stroked his soft feathers.

"Have we heard something form Takuya?" Someone asked in a heavy silence that she had completely missed, and Yolei figured she was even more tired than she had assumed. Two hours of sleep after physically and mentally stressing days along with school in the morning –and the stuff that goes along with it; fans; media, teachers, too noisy friends- and a meeting in the afternoon was not healthy.

She took a deep breath, boxing her mind back into focus. This was important.

"No. Nothing so far. We have to assume the worst case," Izzy replied bluntly. He also looked very tired.

"But the Meramon yesterday were not controlled," Kari argued, bringing up a point that had been bothering them all since it occurred.

"That doesn't have to mean a thing," Koichi said, utterly not showing if he was affected by discussing his friend's safety. The distance was something Yolei was starting to expect by now. From the three of them. Even though Takuya was no longer there. "If they offer help voluntarily there'd be no need to control them."

"Why not?" Mimi seemed surprised by the idea, but by far not as shocked as when she had been told of the free-willed Meramon.

"Because control, no matter how perfect, turns digimon into puppets," Tommy explained. Tommy and Koichi had been staying with Izzy for the last night, so they were probably fully aware of what they need to discuss today and why. Or perhaps they were simply that fast in their thoughts, which wouldn't surprise Yolei either since they had basically two other minds in their heads working on the same thought. "It makes them unable to think and react to situations properly. No variation or improvising. Control is more of a bother than help then."

"Exactly."

Dear God, Yolei was tired. She felt like she was going to fall asleep in the next minute.

But no, she couldn't.

This was important.

It was her duty.

Listen, even if she couldn't properly work up her emotions. Which were her duty.

She felt empty; too exhausted.

"Have we found out what kind of 'we' the DeathMeramon was talking about?" Tai wasn't looking tired at all, and Yolei envied him for it. Though she supposed Tai envied her in return for her ability to move about.

He had to be patient for another few days.

"No. There are just too many possibilities. He could have been talking about just him and his siblings or perhaps a group of friends or a village or anything. Really," Izzy sighed, run ragged from the lack of progress more than from the hours of work he had been putting into it.

The chosen children fell into a contemplative silence, each absorbing the amount information, what it implied, and thinking.

"So, what about the box Koji smuggled out?" Tai was lying in his bed, pretty much forbidden from moving, which hadn't stopped him from at least rolling on his chest to face all those present.

Izzy sighed, running a hand over his face. "I don't have much on that front either yet. Gennai is making an analysis of the material and possible functions. I'm trying to hack into the system –yes Davis, the system-, but so far I have only learned that there is some kind of alarm that goes off in certain circumstances. What those circumstances are, I don't know for sure yet."

"Don't you have an educated guess?" Ken asked, and Yolei enjoyed the vibration of his body against her cheek. Despite that fact, she reminded herself, that that was not what she should focus on.

"I don't think it is security measure. Like a firewall," Izzy elaborated carefully, showing clearly that he really was not sure. Something that used to be rare, but happened more and more often lately. "From the inscriptions and patterns it seems more like a scanner or a sensor."

"So something that gathers information?" Davis translated, simplifying the words away from complex computer language –that he only understood a little even after years of listening others speak it.

"Yes."

"What would they like to gather information on?" Sora wondered aloud, glancing around.

"Locations." Gatomon answered immediately, her past of as one of Vamdemon's officers coming in helpful for once. To plan an attack or to attack there should at least some basic information be known and Gatomon knew all priorities. "Of their targets. Of the enemies; us in this case. Of key bases; maybe infrastructures or our homes or –if we are talking about the Digiworld- the bigger and important cities."

"Geographic," Gabumon added.

"Izzy, is the thing still working?" Matt asked, hurriedly, speaking over his little brother. At the red head's nod he elaborated: "Then it might be transmitting everything back to the ship. We can't rule that out."

"Assuming the thing is working and gathering information now it might be …a spying device." Sora said, looking at the two warrior children. "Your friend might have been tricked. We can't rule that out."

Koichi and Tommy traded a glance, laden with meanings. "I suppose it is possible," Koichi admitted slowly, considering, "though I rather think Koji is too smart for that."

"But it is possible," Davis checked.

"Of course."

"Well, isn't that just great!" Yolei threw her arms up, exasperated. "We have been had. Just great! And the whole thing was for nothing. The Labramon was killed for nothing! Wonderful."

"Actually, no, Yolei." Izzy interrupted her, and Yolei, all her energy already spend, let her rant be interrupted with no quarrel at all. She was just _so_ tired, it was a wonder she had spoken at all. "The two aren't mutually exclusive. If the Black Box is spying on us –so to speak-, and if Koji usually is too smart to be tricked that way, it is possible, no, even probable that he picked this object for a reason.

"Just think. He had an entire fortress to choose from. Why would he choose this thing if he didn't know what it was," Izzy said, his face thoughtful as if he was just thinking his idea through even as he explained it to them. "The more likely possibility is that he chose this object despite the spying function. That would imply it is worth more than the trouble we have with it now. Or at least that it is too important to the other side to leave it there…" He sighed. "All only theories. And as long as Koichi can't contact Koji we can't confirm anything."

"But this all does seem like a possibility," Tai reminded the genius. "So, where were we? Assuming our Black Box is a spying device, I'd say it is looking for weaknesses. Ours. Theirs."

"Numbers," Cody added.

"Strengths," said Joe.

"Goals."

"Plans."

The two inter-dimensional guest traded glances as the resident Chosen Children shot ideas back and forth between them. This time it was Tommy who spoke up. "Excuse me, but isn't it kind of obvious?"

"What?" They asked, all 24 pairs of eyes turning to face them in an astounding feat of synchronization.

Tommy grinned, amused. "We are the targets. So obviously they'd want information on us. Preferably knowledge of when we get within reach of any kind of gate or when we are separated from you. That would be the priority. Everything else you mentioned is important too, but not as much. Right?" Four years ago he would never have been able to speak with such confidence to a group of semi-friends and semi-strangers. Now he didn't bother o blink from discomfort.

"Well, yes, but that wouldn't do them any good." Kari mused, giving the idea some thought. "The gates are closed, so even if you are within distance of one the information would be useless."

The two boys shifted; weight from left to right, from back to front. "Not if they don't need gates," Tommy said.

Koichi continued, explaining. "In the traditional sense. What we mean to say is that we were attacked twice without any evidence of gates already, right? So we are wondering why we should think that gates are needed in the first place."

"How else would they enter the real world? This precisely?" Matt raised an eyebrow in skepticism.

"I don't know," Tommy admitted promptly. "But it would be best to think outside of usual boundaries. In our world we didn't have gates either. We used trailmons who were waiting at a normal station only a few floors below normal trains. We couldn't even tell we changed worlds until we were directly told so."

"Yes, but that was your world," Matt said. "Our worlds follow different rules."

"No, no, wait." Izzy had his thinking face again. "Tommy is right. Think about it. Before Takuya and his group appeared we didn't know it was possible –and maybe it wasn't- for Humans to turn into Digimon. Who is to say that we don't have to think outside the box on this as well?" A hand on his chin, Izzy sunk into thoughts; calculating.

The others watched, their thoughts running the idea through their heads as well. In the silence Koichi heaved a deep breath, leaning his back against the wall as Tommy looked from one Digidestined to the next, trying to remember who was who and which partner belonged to whom.

"He is right," Ken finally spoke, voice heavy. "Especially since the fortress comes from another world as well."

"And many digimon," Mimi contributed, remembering the countless different beings, some of which she had never seen before.

"Maybe some even have the ability to change world at will," said Gatomon, thinking of her friend Wizarmon, who haunted the news station in Odaiba. Wizarmon was dead, though. As dead as one can be, yet he still remained. Who knew what else was possible?

"Like Daemon in the Black Ocean," Kari added, shuddering at the memory of the dark water, grey sand and lightless sky.

"Right." Tai held his hand in front of his face, ticking the points down. "So, assuming the Black Box has an inbuilt scanner , the thing's purpose would be to search for the best timing to attack among other things, since right now it doesn't do anything even though Tommy and Koichi are in its presence."

Matt continued. "That means, since the number of digimon attacking us in the last 24 hours is limited even when the timing would have been good, that there are only so many digimon that can be sent over at once."

"There is also a possible time limit or frame during which it can be done. Like a battery that needs to recharge," Ken added.

"But that also means the box sends, whatever information it is gathering back to the fortress." Davis finished, eyeing the square object lying on the desk with suspicion. "Shouldn't we, I don't know, remove the thing so it doesn't tattle on us?"

Everyone looked at the item in question and Kari quickly got up, forcing Gatomon from her lap, and wrapped the box in her bed sheets.

After she had put it as far away from her and Tai's room as possible within the small apartment, she turned on the stereo, pressing a few buttons to play the CD she got from TK for her birthday. Music filled her room; not too loud that it would make conversation impossible, but also not too quiet as it would allow eavesdroppers to make sense out of their talks. The Black Box counted as an eavesdropper.

Her parents wouldn't be able to hear anything either, which was a very big plus.

As the children were waiting for Kari, Koichi and Tommy traded another glance; this one distinctively impressed by the united quick thinking of so many different individuals of varying ages, genders, backgrounds and characters.

Maybe it wouldn't be as troublesome -because nothing was _impossible; _just a matter how it was needed to go- as they first worried.

The rest of the meeting went over fast. The children went over their theory again and then started debating its truth. The end result was satisfying on the mental battlefield as they concluded that the theory fit the facts and that the facts were not forced to fit the evidence, which translated to their idea being most likely very close to the truth. And, as they had this figured out, it meant that they could now use the box as a countermeasure. The spy would become a double edged sword, being fed only information the Digidestined wanted it to find.

The tides seemed to be turning.

The meeting's result were sent off to Gennai to double check and collect his opinion, though Izzy wrote it in a familiarized code, as they had decided that they couldn't risk any chances; information was what won wars, Gatomon had said.

Izzy also sent the Box. As long as they had no definite plan it was too dangerous near them for multiple reasons.

By the time they were finished, the sky was a brilliant orange and the outside temperature dropped quickly to the colder degrees.

Yolei used that argument as the main reason for her group –consisting of TK, Cody and Tommy, who was going to stay with Cody for the time being- to excuse them and leave as she didn't think she'd be able to reach her home on her own two feet if she waited any longer.

She didn't even notice that Tommy was not carrying a jacket. The other two did –mainly, Cody, though, because TK, while not as tired as Yolei, was fighting every moment with his heavy eyelids- and were at fist guiltily shocked that they didn't think about the fact that he was coming from another dimension and had nothing because of it. Not even clothes.

The ones Tommy was wearing that were the clothes that head been prepared for Takuya during his two week knock out and as such were too big for him, but Tommy really didn't mind as clothes were clothes and said as much.

The matter of clothing was enough material for conversation to last till they reached the building complex ten minutes later at which point the argument ended with Tommy agreeing to be taken care of by the parents, who on their side were doing what they could. In this case supporting their children, included gathering clothes their respective children had grown out of and collecting them and disputing them to the homes where the guest children were going to stay.

Thanks to Mimi's quick note to her still guilt tipped father and mother Cody and Tommy were welcomed by Cody's mother, who was quite proud to tell them that all what Tommy would need had already been dropped off; including, but not limited to, clothes, old text books –because Tommy had already been enrolled into Cody's school and class yesterday-, and numbers he was to call when he needed help.

Tommy was very overwhelmed, having been momentarily shocked out of his practical thinking by the care shown for him, and quite touched and consequently very glad Takuya had had made the call to switch priorities.

Not repaying the kindness would not have sat right with him; though he would have done it without hesitation. In the situation he found himself in now he thought it was not a good thing.

But he dismissed the regret, having no use for it. Tommy was, now more than ever, a warrior. Looking back, being distracted, not giving his all, was what could get him killed.

Besides, regret didn't change a thing.

It was still with that set of mind that he was later sitting in a living room at a low square desk, cookies within reach, his feet under a thick blanket he didn't really need, because it wasn't like he could get cold –at least not outside of Evolution-, doing homework of all things for a class he was only visiting for convenience sake after two hours of organizing the stuff he had been given into the guest room and a dinner with Cody's grandfather and mother, the latter of which was persistently poking subtle questions at her son, which the boy all deflected or left open with practiced ease. Tommy would have found it funny were it not so sad.

From that, he was almost glad to be back in the presence of his so-called protectors. Even if it was to do homework; something he thought was incredibly ironic. Though he didn't mention how stupid it was that, even dimensions away from home and technically not even a student anymore, –because to be a student one had to be human and his almost complete ring of data showed quite the opposite- he was still stuck doing homework, which he had always hated with a passion, as the elder chosen children were very sensitive to the subject for some reason Tommy didn't understand.

The red headed girl –Yolei, one of the few names he already could remember, if only because she was very opposed to them- with the Poromon partner was there, too, and she looked a great deal more alive than this afternoon –even if he couldn't remember all names yet, faces and details Tommy had memorized much easier; to survive one had to be observant- showing her better health with a worse mood by grumbling at nonsense questions irrelevant reports she had to write.

Tommy agreed with her and told her so, in an honest attempt to get along better with her, since teamwork was very important; in battle and with homework.

It seemed to work. Or she was still too tired to pass any judgment and to fall to anger.

The group of four, plus three digimon who spent the time sleeping and eating, sat on the tatami floored ground for another couple hours during which time Tommy and Cody finished their work by copying from each other, while TK and Yolei were still struggling.

Tommy was pleased to discover that Cody was a no nonsense person and did not waste the time by doing nothing or with idle conversation. Instead the other boy had taken an empty piece of paper and created a mind map, linking facts and ideas and people with different colored lines. It didn't mean much, but by changing the perspective things changed sometimes.

It was, for example, the reason Koichi and Tommy had brought up gateless travel; the two of them never had used gates so it had been strange to include such limits in their thinking in the first place.

A change of perspective was something that Yolei appreciated, too. She was still dead tired, but after a two hour nap when she had gotten home the world was much sharper again. Still wobbly and her head worked way too slowly, but sharper compared to before.

Too tired to work up much energy, but alive enough to think again. An ability which she used on the wrong –or possibly right- target. Her assignments for tomorrow were only halfway done even after hours of work, but she had analyzed the brunet sitting across from her some.

Now that her mind wasn't clouded by anger or duty -not to forget and to remind- she noticed some interesting points.

For one, he seemed not all that different from Cody. In everyday live at least. Which meant that Tommy was probably rational and practical.

Cody was in addition to that also idealistic.

Yolei didn't think that Tommy shared that trait as well.

From what she knew, soldiers hardly ever stayed idealistic.

It had occurred to Yolei over the curse of the day that that was what the others, Takuya's group of chosen children, were.

If she thought about it, it was one logical conclusion she reached. Children thrown into a war torn world with no help to survive either die or survive. And if they survived by defeating evil, or war or whatever, by themselves, then they turn into soldiers; one way or another.

It was a possibility.

It was a morbid thought that would explain quite a lot to her, but it was also something she did wish not to be true. Never mind anger, she would be unable to feel anything but sadness.

And that was not good. Not allowed.

Yolei didn't have enough information.

"You mentioned trailmon earlier. As a way to your Digital World." Yolei began after, picking her words carefully. She needed him to talk a _lot_. "How does that work?"

Tommy looked up from his D-terminal –Tommy and Koichi had been given one as soon as possible- where he was composing a unified message to be sent out to all Chosen Children worldwide; he'd have her or TK look it over, but he was taking some work off their shoulders. He showed no sign of surprise at the abrupt question.

There were many things Yolei could deduce from that.

"It is easy." Tommy said. " Our Shibuya station has an elevator that leads fifty floors or so deeper than normal. Just a normal station for trailmons."

"Huh," Yolei commented, not really able to picture it. "That must have been impressive at first sight."

Tommy grinned.

Or was it a smirk?

She had to think about that later. The difference could mean a lot.

"I used to get bullied," Tommy said with the air of someone who remembered fond memories. "And it was them who dragged me to the station. I was too terrified to look around."

There was also a lot she could learn from that. Yolei added another point to her mental list of things she had to analyze later. When she wasn't running on disgusting caffeine and curiosity induced focus.

She hoped she'd be able to remember it all till later.

"The second time I saw the station it was in shambles and completely destroyed. And the third time I kind of got used to it already." He shrugged, still smiling.

"How did it get destroyed," TK asked, interested, as he leaned on his arms and put his pen down to listen. He felt much more comfortable around somebody who was not aligned with his deepest fear and hate, making his own curiosity finally show. "If it is a bad memory, then never mind."

"Well… Lucemon…- our version of your Vamdemons- was strong. Really strong. And his goal was -after conquering the Digital World- the invasion of the Real World. We almost didn't make it." He picked a cookie, apparently completely unbothered by remembering near death experiences. Something that did hint more in the war-children direction, but, as with the other facts Yolei collected, she stuffed them in her head for later. "Lucemon had been sealed deep in the core of our world digiworld and to break out from his prison he needed lots of data. He had minions to do that for him; data from the ground, sometimes from digimon. By the time Lady Ophanimon managed to call us for help, the Digiworld looked like Swiss cheese." Yolei couldn't picture that either and she knew that was something she should be grateful for as she swallowed in the respectful silence, which Tommy totally ignored by biting into yet another cookie. Half of them were gone by now.

"But Lucemon and his minions – two of the Royal Knights- were strong and we failed in protecting the digiworld. Kind of. And Lucemon attacked the real world after that. To do that he had to go through the station, but he –or rather it at that point- wasn't sane anymore and attacked everything in sight. Including the Trailmon Station's ceilings." He took another cookie, still seemingly untouched by his bad memories, though Yolei thought his eyes carried more weight than what he wanted them to see.

"Two years later when Lady Ophanimon needed our help again the station was completely repaired."

"What did she need your help for?" Cody had changed to a new piece of paper and drawn up another web of threads. Only one color so far, but Yolei wondered if Tommy was aware that he was psychologically taken apart with every new sentence he spoke by all of his three listeners. The digimon were still sleeping, the lucky bastards.

"Rebels." Tommy leaned back on his hands facing the ceiling. "Not all were happy under the rule of the Celestial Angels, for some idiotic reasons. They were few in numbers but those we had to deal with were very violent; the radicals, those that wouldn't settle by talking." Funnily enough, Yolei could imagine that well enough. It sounded surprisingly similar to human situations. Her digiworld didn't have political problems, though. There probably weren't enough digimon for something like that.

She thanked her lucky stars.

"Some had taken hostages; some were convinced they could make others agree with their opinion by terrorizing them," Tommy continued, only talking now and not speaking to them. Lost in memories. "Or blackmailing them. They weren't organized either. And because of Lucemon a lot of digimon were still in baby forms, so we were the only people who could help, though Lady Ophanimon had been hestiant." He paused, taking another cookie and Yolei saw how he returned to the present; his eyes cleared, his face smoothed over before being quickly replaced by a small frown. "Compared to the threat Lucemon had posed it was easy, of course." Of course. Yolei had experience with random violent unreasonable digimon and they were so much easier to deal with than with Vamdemon. Even the most troublesome ones.

"There was this one incident," Tommy said, a smile in his voice even if not on his face, "one of the worst situations in hindsight. A group of fifteen or so digimon had taken an entire city hostage. The problem was that the city was built for siege for some digital reason and there wasn't much we could do without harming the digimon living there. And they wouldn't talk." A shadow flickered across his face so fast Yolei almost thought she had only imagined it, especially when a small smile disappeared behind another cookie.

"Then Zoe had had enough one day. She just went up to the front gates, was let inside, and that was the end of it for the rest of us. Few hours later she opened the doors for us. She had a black eye and the hostage takers had either disappeared or were scrubbing the floors till they sparkled. It was really funny." He sighed, eyes drifting to the window short moment before he visibly collected himself again; his features evened out, his shoulders sagged, his breath came deeper and his eyes became expressionless.

"What is she like?" Yolei asked, not liking the way he obviously controlled his emotions. Or suppressed them. Without any effort and frequently. _Make him talk_. "She is the only female of your team, isn't she?"

Yolei had been wondering for a while what kind of person the only girl in _that_ group was like. A Kari-kind was what Yolei imagined; the virtue to the brawn in simple terms. Though she was aware it was nothing more than a stab in the dark and that it would be a bit unlikely to have a Kari-kind shaped from adventures that produced military children.

Seemingly pondering her question for a bit Tommy licked some crumbs from his fingers as he focused back on his D-terminal. "Well…. She is dangerous." A pause. "Dangerous and beautiful."

Yolei frowned, utterly dissatisfied. "Dangerous and beautiful?"

Tommy grinned, all teeth. "She is blond. Don't know how else to describe her."

"Hmm. Well, I look forward to it." That wasn't much to go from, but she guessed it couldn't be helped. There were people that were impossible to describe. Davis for example.

She shuddered to think of more people like him within the same city. Tai was growing out of it, thank the gods, and Takuya, at second look wasn't all that similar to them after all, which would explain why she still had her sanity intact.

But no. A girl like Davis was impossible.

And not only on basis of her wishes, Yolei discovered after half a minute of horrified denial.

Someone like Davis in a group that had Takuya as a leader was impossible. Really impossible and not denial impossible. The team would have been ripped in two within the first week. Or imploded. Or something.

Not like Davis then.

Who else was indescribable?

Ken. But she was aware it was a completely biased opinion.

Not Sora.

And not Mimi either.

But if she only thought about a character that could develop alongside of Tommy and Takuya and Koichi, someone like Mimi was possible.

The Digidestined of Purity was the kind of person who could probably come out from something like that.

She was simply pure. She was the way she was and not easily corrupted. Be it that somebody like her was not easily destroyed _because_ of what said somebody had to go through or in _spite of_.

Yolei sighed. She still had a mountain of work to finish and no time for this.

"You think this is fine? I haven't really mentioned any details about us, though."

Startled out of her thoughts Yolei saw Tommy handing TK his D-terminal.

"Yeah, just add a bit more about the Drift Digimon. Davis and Ken should get to them in the next few days."

Tommy nodded easily and Yolei's eyes drifted to the clock hanging on the wall behind him. One hour and a half to midnight. This was not good.

"I'm going home." She announced loudly, startling Poromon from her lap –when had he done that?- as she got up, collecting her things. "I'm tired. I can't do anything right now," she explained to the surprised and frowning looks she got.

"You still aren't done with your homework."

Right now Yolei couldn't care less. "I'll get up earlier tomorrow and finish it."

TK nodded, but Cody continued frowning, his eyes following her as she and set Poromon on her head –her arms were full and there was no way she was walking twice. She almost rolled her eyes; the boy was all traditional and no teenage rebelliousness.

"See you tomorrow."

She closed the door behind her with unhealthy speed, called a goodbye to Cody's mother and grandfather through the apartment and left.

And while she wanted nothing more than to fall into her bed and not wake till kingdom come, she couldn't. Not yet.

Putting Popromon in his nest on her bedside table, she ran down her mental list, repeating and repeating and remembering what she found out till she had a pen and paper at hand to write it all down.

Ten minutes later she had the basic beginnings of a list of habits, traits and experiences that she would expand on, think over and hypothesize with until … she no longer needed or wanted too. That day was still a long way off, she thought as she fell into her bed, her last thought being that she didn't want to be at odds with anyone.

The next day began for Yolei similarly to the last; she was almost late for school –this time because she had underestimated the amount of time she needed to get to her work done-, she was still so tired she almost fell asleep on her desk a few times and finally did so during lunch break again, missing the usual meeting on the roof top outside of school, though she probably wasn't the only one to prefer a nap instead of talking, and in doing so ignored successfully all fans and worried chosen children who weren't satisfied with yesterday's info message.

The first change to the previous day was when instead of being busy with a meeting in the afternoon she had time to study –it was first priority by default sadly, when she wasn't exactly fighting for her life-, to sleep, think her list over and have a one hour conversation over the phone with Ken, before it was dinner time and family time and her evening shift in the family convenience store.

She also swapped frequent messages over her D-terminal with all her friends; finding out from Kari that Tai was getting better according to Joe – a Doctor's visit was planned for tomorrow- and would hopefully be able to walk again out of his own accord by the time weekend came around, while Koromon was making a pest out of himself by worrying over Tai, being hungry and loud and bored even though he was supposed to rest as well, making Gatomon think seriously about playing cat and mouse with him.

Davis wrote that his arm was still taking a while –another two weeks in a cast- and that he was more bothered by his rips, because he was forbidden from playing soccer because of them and sitting on the bench and watching was just like torture and he couldn't afford a break in training, because Ken wasn't taking one. Yolei, smiling and amused, reminded him that he had a concussion and wasn't supposed to do sport anyway.

Cody wrote her that Tommy showed an interest in kendo and was having fun by taking a few practice lessons with Cody's grandfather.

From TK she heard that Matt was staying over with him at their mother's, because she insisted, saying that their father was too busy with the news to care for either of her sons appropriately at the moment. He had also heard from his father that the station was bubbling with rumors that the director was apparently considering a special 'digital Corner' or something that might or might not –Mr. Ishida was trying his hardest to make it 'might not'- take five minutes after the evening news where everything concerning digimon was to be discussed; from rumors to facts to new Chosen to clips of their everyday lives to everything, simply because the interest was so high.

Yolei almost choked on her drink in horror at the idea to have her life be taken apart like some specimen from her biology class; she remembered with a shudder how Mimi had appeared one in an American magazine that had nothing to do with digimon.

Yolei did _not_ want to be treated like a celebrity any more than she already was and especially not when she was taken completely out of context.

Being famous was every little girls childhood dream and not anything she wanted to live through.

She was even more horrified when she got a message from Izzy on the same subject asking for prompts about what the hell –that he was cursing was saying a lot- they should tell about the Takuya-kidnap-incident which was caught on tape and focus of the public eye ever since it happened two days ago, because, as expected the Anti-digimon organizations were harping on the so-called failure of their duty. And apparently he hadn't given a report to the government yet either.

In their favor was, though, that no one had reported their child missing and that the troublemakers had no families to interview on their negative view of digimon and to spread the anger.

As Yolei thought about it, she supposed it should have been expected since their guests' families were a few dimensions away. Then she thought about it a bit more as she named the price for the few snacks and paper tissues form a customer and realized that didn't have to be true. Tommy and Koichi had Shibuya in their dimension. Shibuya existed here, too. Then wasn't it possible for a Takuya to exist here? Then there wouldn't have been any missing person reports either, because even if the family would have seen it on the news, the only thing that would have worried them would have been the scary resemblance between their child and a random kidnap victim.

Nothing more.

Thinking like that, there might even exist other Yoleis out there.

Despite how disconnecting the thought was she sent her idea off to Tommy and Koichi's D-terminals. She didn't get an answer till the next day.

Meanwhile she heard from Mimi that her parents were entirely focused on supporting her and the 'poor children' -Mimi's parents' words- and that they were extraordinarily proud of Mimi for doing such a good deed. How the child of purity had managed _that_ –turning her parents from obsessively overprotective to supportive- was beyond Yolei, but her admiration for the elder girl shot up another notch, especially when she read the PS which boldly declared that Mimi'd have her parents drinking tea and rooting by the next time she would disappear into the digiworld.

Yolei had wondered what made her 'work on' her parents so much, but the most Yolei got out of Mimi was that they had badmouthed Palmon. She had a feeling there was more than that, though. Mimi also had apparently paid Izzy a visit in her free time –that she only had because she was still enlisted in an American school and had no work to catch up upon- and found out that Koichi had a brother and divorced parents. Yolei promptly added that piece of information to her list.

Noriko of the new generation, with whom Yolei was friends, offered help repeatedly and said that she, along with others of the third generation in her area, had set up a training plan. She didn't want to be useless and the sentiment was shared by quite a few apparently.

Yolei appreciated the thought much and encouraged not to overdo it because who knew when she'd need to fight for real.

In the evening Yolei went to sleep, still feeling tired, but in a much better mood. The negativity hanging in her head the last few day, or weeks or month had lifted some.

The third day after Takuya had been kidnapped was the best in a long time in Yolei's book; having caught up on sleep she was no longer drowsy every hour of the day, nor did she have the back pressing panic of children she had to save _right now_, because for some reason Koichi and Tommy, when she saw them during school time lunch break, said both quite clearly and calmly that there was no reason to panic or hurry, that they should plan carefully and act with caution.

Yolei being Yolei of course had been the first of many to protest that thought fiercely with half formed accusations, but Koichi explained that Koji had promised to take care of their friends and, as he was in a far better position to do so, the most important thing they should do was to be ready to provide support.

And that meant being able to fight, to think, to act quickly, not all of which they were even able to do now, Tommy had pointed out frankly and Yolei noted with practice how the youngest boy of the group summarized their current lack of fire power -most notably Davis and Tai's mobility, but also Upamon-, enumerated possible consequences that weren't far off as things often turned to hell quickly –Tommy gave an example of seven years ago; he must have been learning a lot about the past- and stated how stupid it would be to point their focus to the digital world when they should actually be on the defensive to fight off Drift Digimon and the pinpoint attacks –as they were still possible just not likely, since their theory about the Black Box being at fault was proving true so far- and that it would, strategically speaking, be much better to improve their strength -Yolei mentioned Noriko and her friends' training- until they were needed again. So as long as no villages were under attack, they didn't need to thin out their forces and engage in combat that took innocent lives, where he also pointed out that the digimon under control were quite save as long as they weren't made to fight.

At the end of Tommy's speech Yolei thought her term of 'military brat' fit the youngest extraordinarily well. He focused completely on the practical aspects, ignoring all moral or physiological points as long as no one forced them and stated his thoughts quite bluntly in a way that made them hard to deny.

Yolei only noticed the latter when she was walking home from school hours later at which point she figured he had to be some kind of genius to get his way as easily as he did from more than a handful of people that were years older than him, not stupid, experienced with making people agree with them and without said people noticing. Moreover so since he did it without employing subtlety.

He just overwhelmed them with information until it was hard to follow at which point he suggested to his solution, making it incredibly difficult to disagree. It was straightforwardness to reach a goal only.

Strictly speaking he hadn't even been arguing.

Yolei was amazed with Tommy's method and made a note to try it out –probably on her parents- as well; it was a way that might mix well with her temper and purity –also called bluntness by many people.

Later that day she stood multi-tasking behind the counter; studying, doing work and sending messages back and forth. A very peaceful kind of stress that she could live with.

Mimi sent that she had conned her parents into driving her through town to meet with Noriko's afternoon training session with which she was planning to help out.

Izzy canceled the request for public-explanation prompts.

Ken wrote he and Davis had spent the entire afternoon touring the world to send the Drift Digimon back.

Kari informed her, even her note sounding half exasperated, that her brother was feeling well enough to have a three way fight over the phone with Matt and Izzy. Though the Chosen of Light did add that it seemed important.

Yolei curious as she was asked TK if he knew what said fight had been about only to receive a negative, but Yolei, in a good mood, dismissed her worry as paranoia and changed subject to the Chosen Children trainings that were happening all over the world now –just because of an open message from Noriko; the girl must be proud- and if some were happening close for them to help out.

Being a Chosen was all about teamwork.

She felt incredibly supported in that thought when she received a message form Koichi, too. That was until she read the contents.

In this world Koichi's parents had divorced before having children, Tommy simply didn't exist without any reason why, Takuya had been stillborn, Zoe's parent never married, JP's family had been killed, him included, at the age of six.

Yolei felt sick.

All dead.

Poromon poked her elbow from the counter, but she didn't notice.

Guilt hit her like a punch to the stomach. She shouldn't have said anything. What kind of sick idea had she had, making them even think of their families when they were so far away?

The people living here were not the same in another world even if they had lived.

She had been cruel beyond words.

Rubbing in their faces what they didn't have.

Giving them not only empty, but wrong hope.

She felt sick.

The next day, weekend finally, a meeting was called again and Yolei, still with a stomach full of guilt, saw a god given chance to apologize –it wasn't something she could just send a message about-, but she was in equal measures apprehensive. What if they were angry? What if they didn't want to talk to her? What if she had ruined all chances of their two groups ever working together?

If their situations were switched Yolei knew that she'd be… well, she didn't know, but she did know that the current situation was real. And that Tommy and Koichi weren't her.

To some part it was irrational fear, Yolei was aware of that, but she couldn't sort out what was plain nerves and what wasn't.

She reassured herself that it'd be fine if she alone was disliked by them. It was fine, because Yolei's duty was to remind everyone of reason. And that was done best with anger.

Never mind the fact that she no longer personally despised them; she could, well not understand, but see how they got to be how they were. _Possibly_.

She had analyzed and rationalized and thought too much about their strangeness without any anger involved –granted she had been too tired for that. It was what she had feared would happen, but Yolei resolved not to let her duty be hindered by it.

Her duty, but that didn't make what she was about to face –possibly face; always positive thinking- any less difficult.

She pressed the bell.

Already knowing she'd be last to come, because of her early shift at the store, she rather hoped Izzy's parents were out.

She'd rather not have them listen to any ugly accusations or to the little fact that two of the guests were dead. Technically.

That would not be nice.

Mimi's mother opened the door.

The bubbly woman greeted her with a hug, pulled her inside, chatting a mile a minute –mostly about Mimi- and Yolei, a bit stunned by the woman's presence, simply followed her to the kitchen, where Mrs. Izumi was preparing an early lunch with the help of several of her friends. Kari was cutting bread, TK put two halves together, Koichi of all people decorated the sandwiches in several boxes.

Yolei figured she wasn't really late to the meeting yet.

Yolei back tracked, heading for Izzy's room, where the others were all lazing and chatting about with the digimon playing catch with each other or simply being their exited baby selves.

A scene a few months ago had been eerily similar. Before their lives burst into chaos and worry and defeat. Before war.

Pushing the memory aside, she called out a greeting as she dropped Poromon, who was already wriggling in her hands and fluttering his stubbly wings to the mass of colorful fur balls.

Joining Sora on the ground she stuck up a conversation with the older girl about nothing particular after she noted with some relieve that Tommy was busy as well –playing a game of chess with Tai and losing judging by the number of white pieces in Tai's hand- which meant there was no chance yet to apologize.

Yolei hadn't thought she was one to run from conflict, but there were always exceptions. Now was one.

Yolei didn't want to fight.

Not at all, not of any kind.

Not with her digivice in hand and neither with only her wit as weapon.

She was sick of it.

Of all the grief and suffering and heartache and guilt and worry and pain and weight.

Had been sick of it all those months ago when she had been told that peace was breaking apart, was even sicker of it now, where she had to fight with her mind and spirit and morals for … for what exactly?

It was so easy to lose sight of it all. Of reasons for fighting, of reason while fighting and justice after fighting.

But doing exactly that was her duty as a child of Love and Purity.

She had to have a balance between the two, couldn't let herself be consumed by one or the other.

Mimi was the anchor to home; reminding them what was waiting, what they were like.

Sora was pulled apart by her worry for everyone, for everything, but she also managed to put herself back together. With her love.

Yolei had to do both and neither.

It was a difficult balance to keep, but by screaming for justice and peace and no fighting she managed. Somehow.

And she'd keep doing it. Her duty. By being who she was.

It was so complex and yet so simple, she marveled as Ken handed her jacket and their hands brushed.

They were going to the digiworld.

* * *

><p>My writing is a bit different in this chapter (and I don't mean the retelling of half a week), and I'd appreciate to know what you think (if it isn't even noticeable then all the better).<p>

This is the chapter for March and the longest I have written for A02xF yet. For no particular reason. I was in writing mood and the words just flowed form my hands.

Also, there is still a poll on my profile. Please leave a vote.


	29. Chosen Traits

Chapter 28: Chosen Traits

* * *

><p>"Welcome, Chosen Children and Partners," a voice greeted cheerfully as Yolei tried absently to untangle her limps form other limps, thinking they had a really unhealthy method of travel. As if to prove her point Davis, somewhere to her left, grunted in pain.<p>

The Chosen Children and their partners struggled and twisted for a while until they were all more of less able to crawl out of the pile more or less without bruises. There was a bit of suppressed laughter form her left and Yolei's eyes were drawn incredulously to to brown hair and an orange hat.

Tommy, on all fours and crawling out of the mountain was laughing, and apparently trying very hard not to.

Yolei glared at the back of his head without real heat. It wasn't the first time they were laughed at for their entrance, though it was the first time someone who was part of the mess did the laughing.

She supposed it was even a great thing Tommy was able to laugh at something this unimportant and or bothersome. Getting to her feet, a quick glance showed that Koichi didn't even pull a muscle in his impassive expression. He was looking at the last of them getting to their feet, but it was like he wasn't really seeing them.

Yolei wondered if it was her fault. She still hadn't apologized.

"Where are we?" Patamon hadn't moved form his spot on TK's head and eyed the stony surroundings now with interest.

"Ah," Gennai nodded, having expected that. "This is our base of operation, if you want to call it that. It is an old castle existing since the beginnings of the digiworld. Most of you have been here once already." He started walking down the corridor the children had landed in.

The children followed and Yolei took a better look at the obviously old but handmade -seemingly handmade; it was the Digiword- stone walls. It looked like a castle's insides, but her mind didn't provide her with any time she had been in a Digital Castle.

Gennai led them to a free space, that Yolei hesitated to call staircase, as it was, in essence, a simply free space, that was webbed with random pathways of stairs. Some stood at impossible angles, yet as she watched, a copy of Gennai walked one of those stairs up -or maybe it was down- at 90°.

Yolei stared, feeling vaguely stupid she had thought the Digiworld wouldn't be able to surprise her anymore. What was gravity, after all?

"Vamdemon's caste!" Gatomon exclaimed, and there was something in the felines voice that made Yolei rip her eyes away form the bizarre sigh of another Gennai walking above them -and she meant _above, _as in upside down_,_ them- to look at the cat.

Gatomon's eyes were narrowed in near disgust as she looked around from her spot on Kari's shoulder.

"Vamdemon took it from us, but yes, this is the same place," Gennai said, apparently in touring mode and missing Gatomon and a few other's mood. "It used to be ours until he took over. Actually all of the first Generation's partners' digieggs and digivices used to be taken care of here."

"I remember," Tai said, gaining a few surprised looks. He smiled and explained, looking a bit smug."After we returned to the Digiworld to fight the Dark Masters, Kari was possessed by this spirit thingy, that told us."

"Oh, yeah, now that you mention it," Matt mumbled under his breath, looking around with different eyes now.

That was interesting and all, but Yolei was much more interest in something else. She found it rather strange the others weren't. Or maybe she was simply the only one who didn't know yet, having come late. "If you don't mind, what exactly are we doing here, Gennai?"

"You don't know yet?" Gennai looked a bit surprised, but not bothered to talk a bit more when she shook her head. "Well, to make things short, you will need this castle's special room."

"What kind of room." That coming form Kari meant that Yolei _wasn't_ the only one not knowing. Strangely, and suspiciously though, Tai suddenly was very much not looking anyone in the eye and Matt's face had become fixed. Tommy looked questioning at Koichi.

"A special door, to be more precise."

"Can't you be less cryptic? We don't understand a word," Yolei said, complaining but more bothered by the two elder boy's strange reaction.

Gennai laughed."My apologies, but maybe it would be easier to let you see for yourself." He guided them down a stone passage, that obviously lead to the deeper parts of the castle. Yolei wondered what would be kept in the heart of a digital castle.

The passage ended in a giant room, though Yolei thought, considering they were in a castle, the term 'hall' would be more appropriate. Except it looked like a cave, if one ignored a giant winged, metal door that reached till under the ceiling and something looking eerily like a magic circle on the ground around a small stone altar and four stone columns.

Along with that and the countless cables leading from the altar and the magic circle -that had to be scientific; Yolei refused to believe in magic atop of everything else- to various screens, equipment and _stuff _the cave didn't look much like a cave or hall or whatever, rather than a hastily built technical camp.

Thick cables, ending what seemed to be a heartbeat monitor, connected the giant gate with a couple of screens, that were tended to by a Gennai. Another Gennai double-checked the connection between more cables, the Black Box on top of the altar and the gate, the multilayer hexagrams on the ground. Half a dozen other Gennais were doing similar work.

"Wow," Sora breathed,"What are you doing here? I almost didn't recognize the room."

Gennai smiled. "As it turns out your suspicion about the box was astonishingly accurate. We ran a few specialized tests. Nothing that we would think of normally, and the results were most impressive. That box is, as far as we have figured out so far, _similar_ to a Gate. It doesn't show on the radar, though, be cause in essence it isn't one. We are still working on that, though and putting that aside, the important thing is that the box is still connected with the fortress and with a few special traits we are probably able to open a 'gate' that leads directly inside the fortress. There is-"

"Wait, wait, wait." Davis interrupted, waving his bandaged arm around as the other was busy holding the lunch packet Mrs Izumi had prepared. "What 'gate'? Aren't we already in the Digiworld? Going through another would land us back home. The fortress isn't there, is it?" He looked understandably nervous at the last question.

"The better explanation would be to say that..." Izzy considered, "it is kind of something like teleportation. You go through that gate and end up in a different place, but still in the same world." Unnecessarily he pointed at the metal doors. For once his laptop wasn't open in his hands.

"Like the teleportation the enemy has?" Cody asked, reasonably, as he frowned at all the preparations, getting a bad feeling.

"Maybe," said Gennai,"there is a good chance it works similarly. But like I said, we are still working on it."

"Then why are we here?" Yolei asked, not liking the way Tai, Matt and Izzy suddenly looked guilty. Not liking it at all.

To her surprise, though, it was Koichi who answered, expression _still _unmoved, yet twisted in a smile. "My little brother requested help as soon as we could give it. The gate will transport help into the fortress."

Yolei blinked. _Little brother?_

"What little brother," Davis asked bluntly, while Yolei still tried to find any kind of _good, reasonable_ reason for the utter abrupt change in subject.

Tommy grinned, doubtlessly at the group's expenses. "You'd know him better as Koji."

Yolei blinked, rude language from a cute exterior coming to mind along with mind-numbing anger and a wave of fire and dust. "_Him." _She demanded, suddenly furious as she looked at the...not blank but still utterly expressionless -how did he pull that of when his lips were curved up in a light smile?- face of the dark haired teen. "_Him?_ He's your little brother?"

"He's Light. I'm Darkness. Who'd be better to symbolize our relationship?"

Yolei didn't hear him. "Your little brother killed that Labramon?" She was _so_ angry again. So angry within a few seconds. She didn't want to be angry again. It had felt so good not to have that heat bubbling beneath her skin for the past few days. But she couldn't help it. If she just spent a second thinking about what the poor digimon must have felt to watch his body be taken control off, to watch _helplessly_, how afraid it must have been. How desperate only to die in the end, live thrown away without any regard.

Koichi just sighed, seeming tired only of the fuss she made over n_othing_. It only infuriated Yolei more. "If you want to be angry with him, then I propose you just hit me if you feel like it. We are identical twins."

Yolei clenched her fist, her fingers hurt and she was very tempted. If only to wipe that _passivity_ out of the other's face.

Hawkmon tugged at her trousers and she felt his eyes on her. There were probably a lot more eyes on her, but she didn't notice anything other than her partner at her legs and the boy standing across form her with such ..._blankness_.

Her anger evaporated. Leaving mostly pity behind.

Koichi's face was not blank, at least not in the usual sense. His brows were furrowed, hie eyes took in her stance and his lips were pressed together in a thin line, yet Yolei couldn't shake the feeling of _utter indifference_. Like he couldn't care less. Like to him it made no difference if she hit him in exchange for his brother, if she was angry or anything.

Yolei felt like she was looking at a shell of a human being that was empty. "It'd be a waste," she said venomously instead, sounding angry, accusing and distrustful all in one. "You aren't even here."

They were all looking at her now, startled, confused and some glanced at Koichi, because he obviously was right there.

The two Warrior Children however blinked at her statement, and Tommy looked vaguely impressed. Yolei didn't bother noting Koichi's expression; it'd be fake, created anyway.

"_You are very good to notice, young lady,"_ a soft, but authoritative voice said, resounding through the entire cave. _"Though you are not entirely correct." _

The group, as one looked around searching for the origin of the voice until their eyes all found one of the bigger screens. It wasn't far from them and they hardly needed to turn to see the person well.

The person wore a metal helmet engraved with a cross, and blond hair could be seen growing out from under it. Most telling though were the white wings on the person's back. An angel type digimon.

"Lady Ophanimon." The two partnerless boys greeted respectfully, dipping their heads.

The digimon turned her head only slightly, yet it gave the overwhelming impression of a sad smile. "_Children_," she greeted back. "_It saddened me to hear of your state._"

Tommy grinned somewhat sadly, but Yolei got a bad feeling from that smile. Especially in response to the angel's statement. "Thank you, my Lady. We are fine. And we always will be fine. It not like being not fine would be helpful in any way."

"_...Indeed. But you needn't address me in such a way, Tomoki."_

Tommy shrugged, unconcerned, at his change in speech and habit.

Lady Ophanimon sighed quietly, before turning to address the other children. _"I'm Ohpanimon, the supreme ruler of the children's home world. You have my thanks for caring for them."_

"No problem, Lady," Davis said, employing the title not as a means of paying respect. "But what did you mean just now? I see Koichi just fine."

Again the Lady sighed. "Before that, I think it would be quite best to start the gate's operation. According to our calculations, it is going to take a while, is it not?"

The comment was apparently directed at Gennai, who, strangely enough, bowed deeply before giving a few commands to his clones.

"_Now,"_ the Digimon began, and Yolei got the impression that the Lady wasn't actually looking at them as she spoke but rather at her own two charges, who stood remarkably straight. "_I hear there appears to be disagreement between my children and you. It is regretful, but I cannot say it is not expected." _She paused, almost waiting for some interruption, but none came. _"A part of it, I believe, can be explained by the difference in the Chosen Systems of our two worlds. From what I have heard you were all chosen for your most prominent character traits. Your Virtues. _

_ "In essence in our world it is not much different. However our children were not chosen based on a _single_ trait, but on their overall character and how well they fit to the Spirits' elemental traits. Courage, friendship, kindness, yes they are all nice characteristics to have, but in our world it was not decisive. What mattered was that the character of the Child of Fire was free and unforgiving like a spreading inferno. The Child of Wind had to be unpredictable and resistant like wind and brewing storms. The Child of Ice needed to be solid and pure like a glacier. Darkness had to be elusive and strong; hard to find and yet there when it counted. Light had to be hard and sharp; decisive in its path and unrelenting of obstacles. The Child of Lightening needed to be unsuspected and beautiful; like the art painted across stormy clouds. That was what mattered most along with being self-reliant. It is not surprising that they do not mix well with you. Three of our Chosen you have already met and now more than ever they embody their elements characteristics. It is not in Takuya's nature to be controlled. In the same way it is not in Koichi's nature to be perceived. That you, young Lady, think he is not present is only natural even if his body is standing right in front of you, even if his mind is indeed present."_

"Darkness is passive," Tommy added, "like... when you have a campfire the shadows pull back to where the light doesn't shine. Darkness moves out of the way, hides." He grinned, mischievously. "So when Yolei thinks Koichi isn't really present that says nothing other than that she has good instincts."

Other than the steps and mumbled from the numerous Gennais and the humming of machines there was hardly any sound.

Tommy didn't get a reply, neither did Lady Ophanimon, and the young boy sighed, resigned and a bit annoyed. The chosen children and their partners meanwhile were all trying in various ways to understand what the Celestial Digimon had told them, what it meant to them, to the group they had to protect and who it reflected in their guests behavior.

Yolei's mind in particular was trying and failing to do so. She could not even think past the words of the Celestial Digimon. Chosen for character traits. It was the same here. Only... only not. Takuya, Tommy, Koichi were picked because their characters were most similar to their Spirits, most fitting to their elements. It was nothing bad. But... but now that they had literally fused themselves... now what? Did the Spirits even have a solid character to begin with. They had to. They had to; Takuya had said so. Or had he? He had hinted at it at least. But what did that mean? Did it mean anything? Anything of importance?

Yolei wasn't sure. She couldn't look past the words. Not now. Not yet. "So what does that mean?"

Tommy and Koichi traded glances and at least from Tommy she was sure he was amused. Was Koichi, too? His expression said so, but to Yolei it didn't _feel_ like he was.

"It doesn't mean much. Lady Ophanimon only explained how our Chosen System works." Koichi smiled slightly, "there is nothing behind it. Or at least nothing that you shouldn't have already noticed with all your analysing of us."

Yolei felt her face grow hot, but she refused to acknowledge it or be embarrassed by it. She threw a look, daring them to say anything on the contrary, even as she noticed that some of the others seemed to feel addressed as well. Izzy, of course, and Matt, Cody, Ken, but surprisingly also Kai and Tai of all people.

Tommy and Koichi didn't seem to be bothered by it at all. Yolei knew she would be.

Red light flashed, all children jumped and the clones started shouting, running about and yelling as screens flashed.

"What's going on?" Gennai yelled over the noise, even though his face said he had an idea and didn't like it.

Yolei's hand had automatically closed around her digivice, Hawkmon had moved in front of her defensively, also on habit. There was no danger in sight. Nothing at all. No digimon. The ground didn't shake nor did any other signs of an attack appear. Nothing but the flashing screens and a small box that started shaking.

Yolei looked at it, wide eyed, fear creeping into her heart.

Tommy and Koichi split up immediately, both to one end of the rather big group of people, and around both hand digital codes had appeared. Koichi's was maybe one evolution away from being complete and Tommy's was difficult to see with the whiteness of ice and snow covering the rim, but his wasn't far behind. Neither chose to evolve.

Depending on the danger it would take to much time, still. In the worst case. Always planned for the worst case.

Light exploded, expanding form the box and having swallowed the entire room within seconds. There were screams and yells of surprise, but when the lights retreated not one child or digimon was left behind.

Gennai's mind took jumps, calculating, theorizing, thinking even when the screens did not stop flashing and a new hasty message was sent to him from the gates' control and supervision department.

* * *

><p>Kari almost fell on her face, and were it not for her flaying arms, she would surely have done so. But she caught herself, landing on all fours instead it still hurt and her left wrist twisted, but Kari, at the moment, didn't notice. Something landed on her back and she knew without looking that at lest her Partner was with her. Her second priority was her Digivice and she breathed an unconscious sigh of relief when she felt it in her hand even before she saw it. "What happened?" One second she was standing with her friends in an underground room, then the next light had exploded -from the box!- and she was struggling to land in a healthy position.<p>

"The more important question is where we are," Gatomon said, her voice low and blue eyes sharp while Kari sat up and took a steadying breath to calm her heartbeat. "It doesn't look familiar."

They were in a corridor, perhaps about as wide as the corridors leading through her school, with torches hanging sporadically from the sleek walls. The walls, the ground, the ceiling, all were black, a deep midnight black. And even though the she felt nothing evil, all the dark colors around her were foreboding.

"I don't recognize it anything either... but...we are alone, Gatomon," Kari said after glancing at her Digivice and double checking over her D-terminal. "No one else is near..." Only when she spoke those words, the reality of them sunk in.

Kari knew she was still in a state of shock, of adrenaline induced thinking, and that the true gravity of their situation would still take a while to come to the forefront of her mind, but the thought of being alone was piercing. She was no stranger to it, she could deal with it, but... it always made her feel weak, afraid like a little girl.

She rose to her feet, a bit unbalanced from the sudden change of location, and Gatomon trailed comforting around her legs. Despite it all, she smiled, hopeful.

"Well, by staying here, we aren't going to find anyone."

* * *

><p>Davis groaned, his rips hurting just a <em>bit<em>. He was lying on his back, had luckily landed on his back, his still annoyingly broken arm raised to the blue, cloudless sky, in an instinctive act to keep it way from anything hard. Well, judging from the rushing of waves in his ears and the rather soft ground, it had been a wasted effort. He was on some beach. He could deal with that. He'd just much rather do it with less pressure on his chest ...no, wait, that was Veemon.

Groaning he struggled into a sitting position, wishing he was ...wherever he was for vacation and not lost.

* * *

><p>Tommy landed rather inelegantly on his feet, catching hold for balance on a nearby wall, which from its feel under his hands was only exposed to nature and no clear intent. There was also a breeze tugging on his clothes, that would be cold to anyone else but Tommy. All that told him even before he raised his eyes from the ground that he was probably on some mountain, or at least a cliff.<p>

His eyes confirmed his thoughts; Tommy stood on a narrow space -not even a path; just a base- looking down on thick forest and further away from the very steep mountain a beach and wide ocean as far as he could see form his position. In all directions.

Quick deduction lead him to think he was most likely on a relatively small island, pretty close to the peak of the only mountain in sight.

He bit his lip.

* * *

><p>He clenched his fist, and the air got heavy, thick, dreadful.<p>

The figure kneeling before him was trembling, mumbling half backed excuses.

He lashed out and the body flew across the room with a suppressed scream and whimper.

Excuses meant nothing. Nothing at all when his carefully laid, prepared plans were laid waste by some _accident_.

Everything had occurred according to his scenario, so _why_ was it that some supposedly failsafe calculations could not have been more wrong.

Now his pray would no longer come to him and he would have to dispatch troops for some rats and tools.

He stared at the other occupant of the room. The second figure bowed deep, understanding without words, for had he been forced to just open his mouth the second figure would have followed the first. Speaking of which...

The first, now kneeing -how fitting-, stayed, obviously aware that this failure was to be paid for.

* * *

><p>Well, here you go. The chapter for April. Last minute, as it sadly happens often lately.<p>

As you can probably tell, I'm finished with my Yolei-point-of-view-only thingy. I'm a bit open to suggestions now as to with whom I should start next chapter. If you have a preference, do tell me.


	30. Digital World: Scattered

Chapter 29: Digital World: Scattered

Armadimon= Armadillomon

* * *

><p>Kari exhaled, but the tension wouldn't leave her body. It wasn't necessary a bad thing, only right now, she needed to be calm. Thinking worked best when she was calm and not distracted by tense muscles that jumped from every small sound, from every echo.<p>

The empty corridors carried echoes far, frighteningly far and made it very difficult to not only remain undiscovered but also to estimate from which direction someone was coming or even how far away the digimon still were.

Gatomon's ears twitched back and forth and her tail waved up and down in a habit of anxiety.

They had all reason to be nervous, truthfully, and Kari was trying very hard to think of a way out without spending much thought on the situation they had been dropped in, because she honestly could not think of a worse situation.

She was alone in the enemy headquarters without any kind of plan or hope for help or vague idea how to get out.

Kari was not one for cursing, but her situation just plain sucked.

So far she had been trying to find a place to hide. Be it a closet or a bedroom or a just a curtain. A place to hide and _think_, but there was nothing to serve as any kind of cover. It was illogical, but not surprising since it was the digiworld.

The corridors they had been through in the last quarter of an hour were absolutely empty, not counting the occasional strangely agitated patrol that she had escaped only by a hair's breadth and with much luck involved. The walls were flat and smooth and the torches lining them only gave Kari reason to jump at her own shadow.

All depended on them not being found. Perhaps on only her not being found, as Gatomon could easily pretend to be one of the controlled digimon. Anyway, they were playing against time. It was no good, she knew.

There was no way she could remain undiscovered forever, and about as much chance there was of her escaping without at least a good thousand digimon on her heels –and that was only if she could find something resembling a window.

They had arrived at yet another crossway and Kari looked around, searching for a hint that she hasn't been here already. Everything looked the same. The walls, the corridors, the torches, and she honestly wouldn't be surprised if the fortress was specifically designed to be confusing to intruders as a defense mechanism.

She tensed, the echo of steps –how many? Three? A dozen? She couldn't tell- resounding around her and glancing at Gatomon they decided to make a break to the left. There was a chance they had picked wrong, but Kari hoped not, because if she did, then they were going to run –as silently as possible- right into them.

Her heartbeat quickened again. When her luck finally ran out, then she would be captured, Gatomon will be harmed, maybe _killed_ and she'll no longer be able to help. She won't even be able to stumble blindly through the fortress hoping to find an exit or help or to help –somehow- the people she had to protect and who are depending on them to be rescued.

And the digiworld.

She had to protect it. She had to bring peace back.

She had picked the wrong direction.

* * *

><p>The Master had not been pleased. Not pleased at all, but he knew this would placate him. Oh, the power the little girl would gift them with. Oh, the devastation on her face when she was going to find out what she alone will be responsible for. Blood, victims, pain, destruction and mindless tools. Everything was going to get better, stronger, truthfully evil just because of her.<p>

The pathetically lone Sovereign was going to fall because of her and bow to the Master. Quinglongmon himself, the last and final defense that prevented them from obtaining the absolute power over their servants as it had been promised, that disgusting, powerless ruler himself shall further their purposes beyond the greatest imagination and even the holy light, the only thing the Light Warrior didn't have for them, shall belong to the Master.

Phelesmon licked his lips in eager anticipation as his minions picked the child up from a pool of her own blood. The cat hissed, but remained in submission.

* * *

><p>If Koji had control of his body, then he would be glaring at anyone and everything in sight and snap the heads of anyone breathing the wrong way.<p>

As it was, Koji had no control over his body, so first his impatience, then his annoyance and now his irritation had no outlet.

He couldn't even sigh.

So he was left brooding.

The plan he had so beautifully thought up –with enough holes for improvising- had blown to shambles for whatever reason and other than sensing his six comrades there was _nothing_.

Even, he noticed with a twinge of hasty worry, the grayness lingering at the back of his mind was gone.

On second thought, though, that wasn't necessarily bad. While it meant Koji had no idea how or where Koichi was, it implied on the flipside that he was very far –possibly dimensions- away form where Koji was currently stuck. In other words save.

That was good enough for now.

What was not anywhere close to good, was something else. It turned his irritation to downright frustrating anger, which he forcefully pushed aside for now.

The situation had just gotten infinitely worse and it'd be better to save his anger until he could subject the right people to it.

Still, how stupid were they, he wondered feeling numerous new presences around him. Only two of those presences he wouldn't particularly –not more than normal, at least- mind, were the situation _less catastrophic_.

Circumstances were circumstances, Koji knew, but her, out of all people- was just plain the worst.

Maybe his initial assessment of their skill had been off? It definitely looked like it.

But no, he reminded himself. It didn't matter. Not right now. Because right now something had to change first. And fast.

But, obviously, there still was nothing Koji _could_ do. Not without Koichi. Or if there was, he hadn't found it yet.

At the thirty minute mark, not that he'd know it was, it felt like a punch to the stomach and a free fall of skyscraper hight, and Koji knew it was too late to prevent one of the worst case scenarios his mind had come up with in only the last few seconds.

He _had_ to get out. Or she _had_ to get away.

* * *

><p>Tai ran a hand through his hair, grimacing. Already he felt a bump forming from his less than perfect landing, and he was lucky to have escaped a concussion. But that wasn't a reason worth grimacing for exactly fourteen minutes and twenty five seconds. No, the leader of the digidestined was <em>still<em> grimacing, because there had been no change on his Digivice in the exact same amount of time.

Just to make sure, he checked again. Fifteen minutes and no one. He was alone.

Well, as much as one could be alone in a village of small, pink, overexcited furballs that was overrun with refugees of babies and more than enough hatchlings.

Tai had found himself in Koromon Village. Had appeared practically right on the doorstep of Elecmon, one of three in-training digimon, who were for some reason the only ones taking care of _maybe –_if Tai placed his estimation more in the lower direction- two hundred babies.

Naturally Tai and Agumon had been roped into helping. And truthfully, Tai hadn't found a suitable argument yet to leave. One that got past Elecmon. Yes, the digiworld needed saving, but the young digimon were also a future and shouldn't he care for them, too? Also, Elecmon had declared, searching was best done by not moving at all, when there were others doing the same. Less of a chance to miss anyone.

It wasn't like Tai didn't understand the reasoning, but he and Agumon still had to leave and do… chosen children stuff. It wasn't like they were chosen to feed three different colored balls of fur, skin and scales at the same time. Which was what Tai was attempting to do right now.

They were chosen to…well…to _fight_.

That gave him a pause.

They were chosen to fight, weren't they?

They had been chosen to be saviors from destruction. Salvation never came without victims. Victims never appeared without violence. Violence was ruled by the strongest. The strongest appeared through evolution. Evolution was handed to them in the form of devices.

In their purpose they were the same as their visitors.

And only the difference in the System didn't explain the difference in psyche. If Tai looked at Takuya and thought about what could turn him into a hardened shell like the other goggle head, if he thought about the first fearful days in a strange world and erased Agumon from it, then, Tai thought, he could see what had made them so different.

Tai had had always at least Agumon to rely on, to pay him company and to offer a second opinion. An opinion that carried great weight, as Agumon belonged to the digiworld, knew its rules, dangers and their purpose.

Without Agumon it would have been much more terrifying, more defining.

Takuya, opposed to Tai, had had no one to rely on; he _himself_ had to fight to death, he had had no one to share his burden with.

That, Tai thought, was shaping. And all reason that was needed.

Tai sighed, remembering that Izzy and he had already discussed this back in the hospital and that they had come to no solution.

Then he remembered that he should really be focusing on something else.

He had to think of a way to steal away into the woods without Elecmon noticing, which was difficult when he could feel the red digimon's eyes on him.

Five minutes later Tai was fighting off static and trying to look less like he had been stuck by a thunder, while stirring a man-sized jar of new baby food.

Ten minutes after that, a full half an hour after he had arrived, he was suddenly glad he hadn't managed to leave, even as shock, horror and hardness of combat pooled in his stomach.

To fight and to protect, they were chosen.

* * *

><p>His hands were shaking, trembling from barely controlled fear. Swallowing past the physical lump of terror in his throat he wiped his hands on hos filthy lump of cloth. His hands were sticky with cold sweat and a cold drop ran down his spine, making him shudder.<p>

Eyes focused in his direction, and his stomach clenched in an all too familiar emotion.

It was alright, he told himself. It was alright. He had…

Just thinking about it made him fight new waves of blood freezing terror.

But it was going to be alright.

Now.

Surely.

His thin fingers moved shakily from panel to panel, eyes reading information as he continued knowingly deluding himself with hope.

* * *

><p>The sky was laden with thick clouds, the air was still and the tree sized grass was tinted in a colorless grey. What was strangest, though, was that the air was filled with ash like black particles that, when he tried touching them, had no substance at all.<p>

Then there was the fact that the air _tasted_ of darkness.

It made Koichi unsuspected comfortable.

And _that_, as nice as it felt, was not something that happened. _Ever_.

That it still was, told Koichi a whole lot; first and foremost, that it wasn't natural and secondly that, if this was the digiworld the digimon living here were all dark types. The air was suffocating to anyone else and it'd rot their minds away to silent swamps of darkness and _evil_.

Every little flake of darkness had an after taste of evil, impurity and aggression that was too often present in his element. At the moment Koichi was able to ignore it quite simply, easily even, like a pesky fly, but over time it was a different thing. He worried.

Duskmon got stronger with each breath Koichi took, festering in _his_ mind little by little, and one drop after another.

It was annoying, inconvenient and long-term troublesome.

Koichi put it from his mind with little effort; it wasn't like Duskmon would be a problem any time soon. Or at all, for that matter, because Koichi wouldn't let himself decay even if it came at the price of action.

For now he had to focus on gathering information of all kind. Where he was, how he got there, how to get away, where the others were and what to do. All the while Darkness was closing in from all sides, leisurely but surely and Koichi was watching it passively.

Koichi passed the thirty minute mark without noticing anything other than distant annoyance at too-high grass.

* * *

><p>Tommy sat, twirling his orange hat -cap, really; a poor imitation of his original one- in his hand, thinking. He had been thinking for a while now, but he still couldn't decide what to do. And how to do it.<p>

Stuck on the small plateau as he was, there were, as far as Tommy had found, three choices he could make.

One was to climb up from here, to the mountain's top and take a good look around the island, and then determine anew where to go and what to do.

The second choice was similar; to climb down and look around and maybe ask some digimon -if there were any- for information. Maybe there even was someone else down there, though he didn't expect to be so lucky as his D-tector didn't pick up any signals.

With these two, however, there was the problem that he had no idea how to _do_ them. Climbing an almost vertical mountain side with no gear whatsoever with wind blowing and random stones falling even without him adding his weight to them was _not_ smart. Could he turn into Chakkumon the whole thing would be easily done and over with by skiing up or down, while making his own icy slope. But Chakkumon was still out of reach for another two evolutions or so and while that wouldn't be much of a problem on flat surface, on his little base, it was. Tommy wasn't sure it could handle Blizzarmon's weight, and if it couldn't then he'd probably fall all the way down to the ground half transformed and wouldn't survive.

The last choice wasn't really a choice at all. Namely doing nothing and just remain sitting until some better option appeared or until someone found him. Needless to say, Tommy wasn't much a fan of the last option, even though he had been doing just that for the last twenty five minutes.

Putting his hat back on, Tommy glared at the stupid mountain and at the stupid space he had landed and, for good measure, up at the sky for his bad luck. Then he sighed and set to climbing upwards.

If he made sure to freeze every hold before putting any strain on it, it might hold.

It wasn't that far to the top and if he was going to fall, then it hardly mattered from where.

Tommy passed the thirty minute mark without noticing anything other than the sweat he had to wipe away from his eyes.

* * *

><p>Sora pushed a leaf aside and held it a moment for Piyomon to follow after her without being slapped.<p>

They were in a tropical forest, Sora was pretty sure. The air was heavy, hot and the trees were high and thick. Sora could hardly see ten feet ahead before a trunk, wider than a car, obscured her view again.

Were it not for her D-terminal they would have already been walking in circles. The terminal had very useful functions besides messaging, which wasn't working for whatever reason. She had a map and a compass and was indefinitely grateful for being able to pick roughly a direction that would lead her to the next river.

"How much further?"

Piyomon sounded tired and Sora gave her partner a comforting smile. Piyomon was a bird type digimon, not made to walk, but the leaves, braches and lianas took all the space for flying. It was one of the reasons why Birdramon wasn't carrying her to the next TV. Another reason was that Sora didn't think the TV was going to work, what with her D-terminal losing all communication and their scattering in the digital world. It stands to reason, Sora figured, that no one would be able to come or go. Not when the enemy specifically went through the trouble to kidnap them. Or at least Sora thought they had been kidnapped, even though capturing and imprisoning or killing them would have done the job of removing them from the fight.

Sora could only assume, but everything she came up with gave her enough reason to stay hidden.

She didn't tell Piyomon that it were at least still another ten miles to the river on her map. And that was only a rough estimate.

They weren't going to make it today, maybe not even tomorrow at the current pace.

They had nothing to eat, nothing to drink and only the clothes on her body.

Sora and Piyomon passed the thirty minute mark without noticing anything other than the lack of other digimon in their path.

* * *

><p>At the thirty minute mark, Takuya was sleeping.<p>

* * *

><p>It was too hot for Wormmon, but other than offering him shadow by tugging him in his jacket, there was nothing Ken could do, and it bothered him.<p>

His winter clothes had been dropped the moment he had arrived, but it wasn't doing him much good. The desert was too hot to simply walk through without any water, food, shadow or means of transportation.

Ken was so absorbed in his worries, that he didn't notice walking into a shadow until he almost ran against a wall.

Ken passed the thirty minute mark standing literally in the shadow of the Digimon Kaiser's greatest work, realizing he couldn't afford to leave.

* * *

><p>Matt supposed he was lucky having landed the mile or so lower than the surface around here usually was. If he hadn't he would have fallen all the way down to the bottom of the valley. It was kind of hard remembering that, though, when he now had to find a way back up again.<p>

He supposed it was also lucky that he hadn't landed wherever he was alone. Yolei could be annoying at times, but she was also reliable when the situation got serious. It was serious as sightseeing on the bottom of a canyon had not been in the plan Tai, Izzy, Gennai, Koichi and him had built over the last few days. And Yolei knew that now. After she had demanded the explanation from him.

"I say we risk flying."

Matt had to agree, reluctantly. "I'd do us no good if we exhaust ourselves climbing up here, when we don't even know where we are." Their D-terminals weren't working. Not at all. Not even the compass function. Matt hoped it was because they were simply out of reach; similar to real-world mobile phones.

Hawkmon evolved, carried them up and as Matt took in the rough, steep walls from a bird's point of view his shoulders relaxed from tension Matt hadn't known was there. The reason was easy to conclude, though. It wasn't the canyon they had been buried alive in…. how long ago was it?

Hawkmon rose higher and gave them a beautiful view of the land beneath his wings.

The valley cut like a knife through a plain of green grass, blooming flowers and spread out gigantic oak trees. Tree houses sat in occasional branches.

From the looks of it, the village was abandoned and Gabumon confirmed it when they touched down to the ground and didn't pick up any smell.

Matt, Gabumon, Yolei and Hawkmon passed the thirty minute mark investigating a ghost town and packing necessary supplies.

* * *

><p>Cody and TK had spent the first five minutes since their arrival staring at their surroundings while their partners behaved somewhat strangely.<p>

The cave was circular and at least the size of their entire school plus gym. An equally circular lake with dark waters left only a rim to walk round it. Stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and out of the lake; sometimes connected to thick columns, other times not yet touching. There was no visible source of light, yet everything glowed as if a full moon shone from the sky.

It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Patamon giggled, rolling in shallow water, sending small yet seemingly great waves over the still surface.

Armadimon splashed water at the light digimon and soon they were involved in a vicious water fight with gales of laughter echoing once, twice, thrice.

TK knew Patamon like playing even in the direst of situations and Armadimon was the balance to Cody's seriousness, but still…

Patamon didn't like bathing all that much.

Neither did Armadimon when he wasn't Submarimon.

TK and Cody traded worried glances.

Their partners said they were feeling fine.

"The water feels great! Want to play with us, TK?" Patamon asked before deliberately dropping his pouting wet self on TK's head, when he was refused. Patamon started to behave after that, unlike Aramdimon, who looked much like he was trying to imitate a playful dog with how he sped back and forth ahead and around their feet as they explored the cave.

TK, Cody, Patamon and Armadimon passed the thirty minute mark following a crumbling passage and discovering glowing moss.

* * *

><p>Izzy hadn't been here before and he'd love to run a more in-depth analysis and make some experiments. It wasn't the time for that at all, though he couldn't help the straying of his eyes in search of an access point to plug his laptop in.<p>

The internet was colorful and disorganized while at the same time it held bigger and smaller paths where rivers of colored data disappeared inside, beneath, behind and above each other.

For a geek like him, this place was a heaven and Izzy cursed his fate for not being able to explore it.

He held on to Tentomon as the red beetle dived into a reddish stream of data about tomatoes as indicated by taste, smell and the vegetable itself that was drifting around with him.

It was, as far as Izzy knew at this point without any source other than his own observations, impossible to navigate in the internet without outside access. Which he didn't have. If he weren't already hopelessly lost, he'd worry now.

Izzy and Tentomon passed the thirty minute mark hacking away on the keyboard, working, working, thinking and reading on the first point of access they had stumbled across.

* * *

><p>Mimi certainly didn't regret what she had done to her parents. It was only that alone with Palmon and Mrs Izumi's lunchbox she was forcefully reminded of the dangers the digiworld posed and that her parents had every reason to worry. Luckily, though, it wasn't like they knew that. And Mimi had no intention of telling them opposed to having every intention of getting spoiled rotten once she got back home.<p>

"What do we do, Palmon?" Mimi wasn't sure if she even said those words, but Palmon seemed to have understood her regardless and in the dark hole that Palmon had disguised for them with her poison ivy, the little plant digimon scurried a bit closer to her. To seek comfort as well as to give it, Mimi knew, when the cold wet ground at her back shook again under the weight of steps.

They had been hiding like this for a small amount of time already, though Mimi had lost track of how long. It could have been an hour, it could have been not twenty minutes with only stomps of giant digimon to measure time.

Mimi didn't dare taking out her digivice or D-terminal in fear of it giving of too much light for the curtain ivy to cover or on the chance that its signal would be noticed. Not by the digimon themselves, of course, but by the fortress of high technology that was doubtlessly somewhere near. It had to be near, because the only free digimon left in the world were partners or in-training and below, the rare ice types and the darkness types, but the last were with the army free will or not.

So that there was what sounded like a herd of Mammon somewhere around was as telling as Vegas' neon lights. They hadn't stayed above ground long enough to confirm her thoughts, though.

Mimi and Palmon passed the thirty minute mark trembling in fear and stopping each other from screaming as the tree above them was trampled to pieces first by flesh covered hooves and then by white bones.

* * *

><p>This is the chapter for May, hope you like it. :)<p>

I realized halfway through last chapter's reviews that I probably should have said in my last note 'who do you want except Takuya'... apparently you really want to know what he is doing/what is happening to him, but he was actually the one character that was not supposed to make an appearance. (Alas, maybe you can deduce some stuff from that.) My fault, really, but because so many have requested him, I added an entire sentence about him. xd

More seriously, I'll see if I can pull Takuya's part a bit forward.

Also, I'm sorry to say that next month, in June (and _possibly_ July), there will not be a chapter. I'm entering exam phase soon and don't want to divide my attention. On the off chance that I actually do have time to write however, there still will not be a chapter. Instead (like I said _if_ I have time to write) the next chapter will be longer.

Please leave a review. :)


	31. Digital World: Dark Evolution I

Chapter 30: Digital World: Dark Evolution I

* * *

><p>He was not to do any strenuous or straining exercise, Taichi remembered with black humor.<p>

Though technically what he was doing was no 'exercise'.

He was trying to organize chaos, was actively attempting to keep the chaos makers away, and direct everyone else into the safety of the forest. He was also running back and forth carrying the babies that couldn't move on their own yet and the eggs that weren't ever going to go anywhere if he didn't save them.

Meanwhile Graymon was fighting three BlackGarurumon that had somehow evolved out of the three care-taking Elecmon.

Already half the village had been turned into a battle field, tents and clay houses crumbled and destroyed.

Five BlackGabumon that had evolved out of random in-training digimon were being distracted and fought by older and more agile in-training fur balls. Mostly Koromon.

A twinge of guilt fluttered across Tai's mind. It seemed that whenever they came to Koromon Village bad things were going to happen.

He picked up an arm full of digieggs, suppressing frustration as he saw how many more were still left in the village and started running into the trees again when suddenly the young digimon squealed in fear. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Tai craned his neck.

It were six BlackGabumon now. A Koromon smashed against a tree and Tai's heart beat painfully in his chest as he had to remind himself that that digimon was _not_ his partner.

That didn't make it better; not his partner, but maybe someone else's.

As soon as he had unloaded the three digieggs to the mass of colorful balls just behind the tree line, he grasped his Digivice in his hands.

Graymon wasn't enough anymore, but WarGraymon was too straining and MetalGraymon too big. He grit his teeth as it couldn't be helped and seconds later MetalGraymon trampled the remains of a house under his foot.

The in-training digimon cheered at the now one-sided fight, but Tai only saw the destruction of the village as he ran back and forth, saving digieggs.

* * *

><p>Koichi looked around. It was a small village, primitive and abandoned for a long time. It would have held maybe a dozen digimon once upon a time.<p>

Digimon that would have found enough food from the fertile soil to grow and never worry. But that hadn't happened.

Instead it was simple grass that shot from the earth and fruitless plants had claimed the ground and conquered the digimon's housings.

Koichi could draw a pretty clear picture of what had happened. Maybe. Something caused the digimon to leave –or disappear as he had not yet found a trace of one. This something was probably closely connected with the darkness that was almost literally raining from the gray sky.

The vegetation that was gray, inedible, and incredibly slow growing as it was _Darkness_ that penetrated everything.

For a blade of grass to grow as tall as Koichi at least a dozen millennia had to have passed.

And the grass was twice his size.

It had been such a long time ago, but everything was preserved, looking rather like it had been frozen in time.

Lifeless and motionless as everything was Koichi would have suspected exactly that were it not snowing darkness.

Incredibly enough, everything was simply _passive_.

Darkness was so _there_ that even Koichi didn't need food or sleep or air.

* * *

><p>After Tommy had thanked all Gods he knew and didn't know for a very stable mountain top and evolved to Blizzamon twice to finish digitalizing and then changed to Chakkumon, he skied the mountain down.<p>

It was much more fun than climbing up, that was for sure and he enjoyed it for all it was worth.

It wouldn't last long after all.

His first assumption had proven true. Tommy was on a circular island where the mountain pierced like a needled into the sky with no civilization as far as he could see and of course without a ship or harbour or a continent or other island visible.

It wasn't good. But it also wasn't bad. The parts of land that weren't a dreamily white and wide beach were forest; enough wood to build a float.

Tommy also thought he had seen something interesting that might provide him with some helpful knowledge.

* * *

><p>It hadn't been her imagination. Sora had thought maybe… hopefully… but it wasn't; the ground was shaking, trembling. And not from an earthquake.<p>

It was probably much worse.

"Piyomon," she asked, her voice already in a whisper on instinct. "Could you please fly up there once and look around? I have a feeling we are being followed."

Piyomon's round eyes widened a bit further and with reassurances the pink bird flew up, disappearing from her sight behind thick leaves and branches. Immediately Sora shuddered.

Anxiously she stepped from foot to foot only noticing when the soft earth no longer gave way under her that she had dug up some stone. Sora sighed, wondering if it was pathetic how much she needed Piyomon before she blinked in surprise and glanced down at her feet's work again.

_Not just any stone_, she thought, _not some random rock_. It was...

"It's terrible, Sora!" Piyomon cried. Sora shot up, arms already in motion before she even laid eyes on her partner.

Not a second later Piyomon crashed into and send her sprawling to the ground. "So many! And they are so big! And Sora-" Piyomon panicked and left Sora to pick out her information from incoherently babbled exclamations. She patted the feathered head pressed against her fondly.

Piyomon was so responsible in one moment only to turn into a helpless child in the next.

Perfectly understandable, though as apparently a herd of Mammothmon and SkullMammothmon was trampling down the rain forest and heading in their direction. They were too fast to outrun, too numerous to evade and too strong to fight.

From one bad situation to the next, she was past the point where she could tense more and become nervous.

Sora sighed instead.

The question was, Sora decided, if the herd was actively aiming for them or if the two of them just happened to be in its path by coincidence. And if it was only a coincidence there was the question if there even was a goal.

The best choice was probably to fly. It would mean discovery, but better that than being trampled to death.

She was just about to announce the idea to her calming partner when the stone split into a crack under her fingers.

Sora didn't need a second to realize what it meant and her heart skipped a painful beat because it was already too late.

The ground gave away under her and she fell screaming into a hole.

* * *

><p>Ken wandered quietly through the corridors he had once ordered to be build.<p>

It had been supposed to be the perfect moving stronghold fitting for a supreme ruler of absolute power. It had been supposed to be a warning, a symbol, a threat, a protection, a servant, an ultimate tool and counterpart to the digimon he had created.

It was also the grave of the Digimon Kaiser.

Ken's memories from the time were fuzzy, but he was sure he still knew where the power core lay.

"Ken? Are you okay?"

The former tyrant tilted his head to the side and smiled slightly, patting Wormmon between his antennas where he loved patting best. "I should be asking this. How are you feeling, Wormmon?"

It was also the grave of Wormmon.

"Mmmhmm," said Wormmon, and Ken took that as a positive sign as he climbed the corridors upwards.

The fortress was tilted, not unlike a sinking ship and just like water sand was invading the painfully constructed and for efficiency calculated ways.

The part of his mind that he was ashamed of couldn't wait till the sands had swallowed the proof of his sins completely, buried them from sight and mind. It was the very same part Ken was humouring now.

From a certain point of view.

There were plenty of other, better reasons of course, but he couldn't shake the feeling that what he attempted to do now was only for his own selfish and cowardly reasons.

A fortress like the Digimon Kaiser's couldn't be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. Now more than ever.

But it was also a fact that when he was going to activated the self-destruct the fortress and the most visible sign of the tyrant he had been would be gone.

Wasn't that cowardly?

* * *

><p>Matt and Yolei had packed everything they could need for their time in the Digiworld in a couple of backpacks and after they had discussed several options to choose from, they had opted to head back to Myotismon's former castle.<p>

It was logical to head to the starting point when lost.

It'd be nice if it were that easy.

It wasn't of course. For starters the only food they had found was for birds; a great selection, but only seeds nonetheless that had given Matt a flashback to his first trip to the Digiworld.

Surprisingly, remembering how they had whined about it only made him feel some wry amusement now.

Another problem happened to be that they were, quite frankly, on the other side of the world from the castle. Even when flying with Holsmon or MetalGarurumon they'd take weeks to get there.

There was also the problem that flying was taxing on their partners, that they were easily visible for enemies in the air, and that they were easy to miss for their friends.

And that was not taking all the troubles that Chosen Children ran into so easily into account.

"Well, ready?" Yolei was as good as done and couldn't wait to get going. She was very impatient and impulsive and Matt dreaded spending weeks with only her as human company.

"I think we should change our route and stop by a refugee camp," said Matt, looking at the part of the same looking horizon behind which a few hundred miles away and out of their way the next settling lay. According to the D-terminal anyway.

The red head pushed her brows together in a thoughtful but still disagreeing way. "Why bother? It's not like we have any good news to spread."

"But we might hear something about the others there."

"Oh. Yeah." She blinked, smirking she continued, "gossip you mean. You'd know all about how easily that spreads, don't you."

Matt glared, Gabumon's face fell just thinking about the annoyance. "It is _you_ who is a fangirl, not me."

"_Me_! Ha!" Hawkmon retreated casual careful steps backwards as Yolei put her hands on her hips and her face fell into a dark scowl. "I am no fangirl! Least of all of yours! As if I don't have something better to do than swoon after some wanna-be good looking guy!"

Matt's teeth hurt, so hard he was forcing a smug grin. But it was worth it when Yolei's face darkened to purple with anger at his next words. "Ken Ichijoji."

Hawkmon retreated some more steps. As did Gabumon.

It was going to be some long weeks.

* * *

><p>"Say, what do you think this was? Once?"<p>

"Honestly," TK said, as they ascended old and worn stairs that had long since been grown over by greenish glowing moss that was the only source of light who knows how many miles under the surface. "This reminds me of a documentary I saw on TV once. About dead cultures in south America some thousand years ago."

Having left the underground lake through a passage the two boys and their partners had ended up in an even larger cave with glowing moss growing on walls, the ground, on gigantic stalagmites and stalactites and on the huge building filling the entire cave.

The boys had split up, explored a bit and found that the building had a square base, and its form was basically similar to a pyramid only that every layer of the shrinking structure was at least two stories tall.

All in all the complex was at least fifty stories high, but TK couldn't be sure as the tip disappeared into the cave's ceiling.

Four columns reaching just as high stood in the four corners of its base.

When they had walked behind, it Cody and TK and had ended up discovering a majestic staircase leading up right up to the buildings tip where it might –difficult to tell at the distance- lead to an entrance into it.

It had been no question at all to climb the stairs.

Left and right of them, on the building's main body they saw that the edges between the different layers were slightly holed; they were filled with water now, but TK wondered what they had held originally.

"It's a temple," Patamon said solemnly and TK glanced reflexively up at his partner. Both digimon had been strangely quiet and subdued once they had laid eyes on the complex; a turnabout form their strangely playful and energized selves just before. It had been like someone flipped a switch.

"What kind of temple," TK asked when Patamon was not more forthcoming, but even then there was no reply.

TK exchanged a look with Cody.

It was clear that where ever they were affected their partners. TK had never been in such a place before.

What did that mean?

What was this building? This temple buried so deeply beneath the elements that plants had needed to evolve into light sources and where the walls and stones bore traces of violent battle.

* * *

><p>Izzy snatched a tomato out of the data stream racing over his head.<p>

This was by far the most convenient trip to another world he had ever made, he had to admit.

Izzy had his laptop, an access point for it, food just flying by him left and right, no people or digimon to distract and or attack him other than Tentomon and unlimited data to work with.

So.

This meant that once he had filtered through all the unnecessary and unhelpful data which was 99.9999 %, everything would be perfect.

Not.

Izzy was in the internet. As literally inside it. And almost every piece of data was worse than useless to him as the internet covered _everything_. From amateurish and professional recipes, to basic or highly detailed history, to the math homework that was due tomorrow in a British middle school, to news that were just seconds old, to journals, to entertainment branches full of anime and manga and novels and short stories and TV shows and games and riddles and online notifications of a new dojo that opened and gave free test lessons, to the newest model of mobile phones, to text messages. And so forth.

This was ludicrous.

Up until there had never been _too much data_.

Izzy had _always_ had too little.

He rather wished he was back to working with too little.

Grunting, Izzy fought his irritation down and forced himself to look at the positive side.

This was a chance.

The internet was connected to the digiworld incredibly closely. Everything that happened on the digital side of reality was in some way and in some form documented in the internet. In pieces the data might be, scattered and adapted to the internet, but it was still there. It was only a matter of finding it, decoding it, and fitting the highly complex puzzle together.

Then Izzy could find out everything that had been happening. The reasons, the causes, the consequences, actions, reactions.

This was too good a chance to pass up.

It was only a matter of filtering the data out.

With more than ninety-nine percent of the available information being utter rubbish and his high tech laptop Izzy would still be sitting here a century from now. And that was not taking into account the masses of data that was being added every second...

It was no good.

This was a nightmare.

"I need a university level server to do anything at all here," Izzy mumbled, biting into a fist full of tomato. And by anything he meant working through 0.0000001 percent per week. Horrible.

"Why?" Tentomon asked and Izzy struggled not to release his irritation on his partner as he looked up. His insect partner was floating around, eyes on a bluish white stream of data that raced at high speed into the rainbow-colored background. "You can ask for help. There are many people who wouldn't mind."

Sighing, Izzy pinched the bridge of his nose. For being surprisingly observant and intelligent, his partner could, at times, be incredibly stupid. "There aren't any people here for me to ask, Tentomon. Who knows where the others have landed and they don't have a pc anyway."

"What are you talking about, Izzy? You can just send them a message, can't you?" With one of his arms, the red beetle pointed at the stream he had been staring at.

Izzy paid it a closer look.

A tomato fell from his hands, his jaw dropped and he had never felt quite so stupid.

It was no university server. No. It was much better with the best being that Izzy had to do almost nothing at all.

* * *

><p>Mimi and Palmon climbed out of their hole only long, very long after the ground had stopped shaking and the stomping of giant bodies had faded away.<p>

They were both still shaking when they stood as the only things upright within eyesight.

Originally Palmon and Mimi had landed in a forest with healthy trees and green earth and sunlight breaking through the leaves.

Then they had scrambled for cover in a deep hole under the roots of a particularly old looking tree and hid some twenty feet under the ground.

Now the trees were all gone, shredded to splinters and dust and all leaves grinded into green mush that was further mixed with earth and now unrecognizable as something that had been, at some point in its existence, beautiful.

The hole they had climbed out was now only half a dozen feet of so deep.

Mimi fell down to her knees, trying very hard to stop trembling in terror.

Forest flattened, earth lowered and the only living things left one human and one digimon.

Irrationally she had the sudden urge to eat and after the first riceball she had to fight down hysterical laughter.

For _this_ she had tried to –no, not tried; she had succeeded- convince her parents to let her go?

How _stupid_ she had been.

"Mimi…," Palmon whispered, hugging her side and it was only then that she noticed the tears running down her face.

Palmon looked like she wanted to cry too. Only because Mimi was sad. Mimi didn't want that. She didn't want to make Palmon sad.

Maybe she hadn't been stupid.

Mimi didn't want this. But hadn't she also known that even if she didn't, she couldn't outrun it? Mimi would have ended up in this situation no matter what she desired. But she hadn't struggled against it, hadn't complained.

So her parents didn't know about the dangers.

And they wouldn't worry.

They didn't suffer because of what happened to Mimi.

Wasn't it fine, then?

* * *

><p>Kari drifted back to consciousness slowly. Her head ached, her eyes were too heavy to open and it was cold. But after antagonizing long moments she no longer felt capable of falling back to sleep and she tried to shift.<p>

The pain jolted her fully awake.

Her eyes shooting open, she groaned. _It hurt._

Even breathing hurt. In an antagonizing numb way. Old pain. Pain that was healing. What did that say about Kari that analyzing the state of her body and estimating its capabilities was the first thing on her mind? Even before caring about where she woke up.

As she took glances at her body, she noticed even her neck was stiff and tense.

Light was flickering and fleeting, but it was enough to see the sleeves of her jacket ripped with larges gashes that continued on her skin.

Disoriented and numb she wondered if it was blood in her mouth or if she only imagined the taste by looking at herself. She had similar wounds on her legs and torso, and with every breath she took she suspected she had cracked a rip or two along with the superficial gashes that were clearly intent on making her bleed, uncomfortable, and hurting in a way that wasn't life-threatening.

_Good,_ she thought. _Good. _

Then reality caught up with her and Kari had to fight off several notions of panic bubbling in her chest.

She was _fine_, she told herself. Alive. The worst had already happened; panicking would do no good _now_.

She squeezed her eyes shut, leaned her head back against a smooth surface and focused on taking deep breaths, taking note of every stitch of discomfort as even the smallest movement brought her distraction.

When she opened her eyes again, this time in a significantly calmer state of mind she took in what she assumed to be her cell.

It was a strange cell, but as it was the digiworld and run by digimon Kari tried not to pay illogical part too much mind.

Kari was tied to close immobility by skin-warm iron chains hugging torso and binding her arms to what she identified as a column. Her arms were tied away from her, stretched out and the curve they had to bend backwards to fit snuggly to the column was getting more uncomfortable by the minute. She was so tightly bound she couldn't even lean forward. Stuck in sitting position, her legs and feet were the only parts of her body not bound and that she could still move.

The column she was tied to was one of ten arranged in a circular formation with all of them far enough apart that she stood no chance touching them even if she were able to distance her entire body from hers.

Torches were hanging on even farther away walls and the ceiling disappeared entirely in the shadows.

The room, or rather hall, was circular.

And...

Gatomon wasn't here. Wasn't anywhere near her. Wasn't-

She was alone. Utterly alone and who knew what had happened to Gatomon. Was she even still alive? Was she well? It was Kari's fault. Angewomon's terrified and fearful expression was burned into her memory. If only Kari had watched her back!

She had blacked out then and Gatomon would have done everything to keep her save after that.

Kari's eyes burned and strangulating fear for her partner choked her throat.

Tears escaped her eyes silently until sudden spikes of pain wracked her body, her bindings started to glow hot-cold white and darkness swamped her mind.

Again.

* * *

><p>Far, far above the world it protected, almost on a different plane entirely, a creature convulsed as a foreign force invaded its mind.<p>

It howled in pain, the sound lost in a storm of its own making.

A battle unlike what it had ever experienced.

It were not talons ripping into its body of air and energy. It was not fire scorching over its skin, nor was there a well know voice.

Instead it was assaulted from within, its own powers directed against itself and it knew this was a fight it could not win.

A battle unlike what it had ever experienced.

But it could not allow itself to lose; what it protected was far too important, far too vital and failure would spell certain doom not only for its reign.

Sometimes, it knew, death was preferable to life. Such a choice had never been available or allowed.

But now was a time of choice. A time of crossroads and fate and chance and hope and it let go of the focus of its power. Let it go free.

The single act wouldn't be noticed, wouldn't be seen until it was too late. For such was the way of virtues and hearts.

And Qinglongmon let itself fall.

* * *

><p>The first chapter for July. The next one will come in August. :)<p>

First of all I thank you for your patience with me. I missed only one update, but it felt much longer to me. Free time? What exactly is that? An abstract concept? I can't remember ever having something like that drowning in work as I am. Drowning in work as I am going to be for the foreseeable future. It is most unpleasant.

Well... enough complained.

I'm **looking for a Beta-reader. **I don't know why I haven't gotten the idea earlier than a couple hours ago, but better late than never. Plotwise I don't really need help, but it'd be very nice if someone could correct my spelling and grammar.

Please leave a review and a vote on your way out. :)


	32. Digital World: Dark Evolution II

Chapter 31: Digital World: Dark Evolution II

* * *

><p>"What is the status on <em>them<em>?"

"We have begun the extraction. However as we do sadly not possess the compatible power, it might take some more time than expected."

A massive hand was waved through the darkness. "The project is to be completed before the final phase."

Two figures bowed in acknowledgement. "And about the other matter?"

"Get rid of them."

The two shadows retreated without straightening once.

It would be done.

With the new power at their disposal they needn't lift a finger. Needn't sent troops across the world, to anchors. Not when resources were in place and ready for them to take.

Still, his majesty was getting impatient. Things had not been going according to plan and all could be traced back to the pesky flies.

Indeed, a problem needed to be disposed of at the root. Now. With the main phase being put into action soon.

…it was only a matter of finding all the flies…

* * *

><p>"What do you have to say for yourself?" A voice demanded viciously and quietly. Yellow eyes were narrowed in an expression that conveyed nothing but disdain and fury. "How can you justify this? Even just to yourself?"<p>

The being did not reply for it wasn't a conversation. There was nothing to talk about. Nothing the shadow could say had not already crossed his mind. Be the words vocalized or only in his head made no difference.

They were true, but everything else was also true.

He had tried already, hadn't he? He had done everything he could, hadn't he?

Yes, he had done even more. If it wasn't for him than the shadow behind him wouldn't even be here. And _that_ was unlucky and not _his_ fault. It was thanks to him that it was _only_ this bad.

"Have you given up?"

There was nothing else he could do. He had been punished this badly for something that he wasn't blamed for. Or at least not blamed for as much as he could…

Still… his Master was a fickle creature.

"Surrendered and bound yourself in the chains of a slave?"

He hadn't. No. He hadn't had a choice. There had been no choice. Either he did or…

No. It hadn't been a choice. None at all but that didn't mean that he didn't rue the day.

He still wished the voice would leave him alone. He knew all that already. It had crippled him already. Why did it have to speak all his fears, his regrets? How did it know them?

What was it? Was it something different than they had thought?

"How many years has it been? Have you ever looked at yourself? Aren't you ashamed? What could possibly keep you here? There is _nothing_. Not anymore."

There was only one being breathing now. The other was frozen.

"Have you turned into such a coward that you cannot even admit the truth to yourself? Have you become an animal ruled by primal fear? I knew a different you. You were better."

The shadow moved. He felt its yellow eyes gleaming in his direction and he knew even trying to hide his shaking would be futile.

He was alone. The chains at his feet rattled and again, as if often happened lately, something in the depth of his memories stirred.

* * *

><p>Tai wiped his brow, glancing at the knocked out four BlackGarurumon and eight BlackGabumon.<p>

The numbers had increased.

Somehow, for some reason, digimon were dark-evolving randomly left and right.

"This way every one! This way! This way! Yaay!" A bunch of Koromon were happily jumping up and down ahead form the caravan of a few hundred baby and in-training digimon that Tai had organized. Though, then again, describing it as a caravan was very generous.

Taichi had directed the in-training types capable of sitting still to form up two parallel lines through the forest. In theory those two lines build up the railing for a baby-and-eggs high way. The theory worked out well.

The ground was even, soft, not dangerous and by announcing it a game Tai had convinced the baby digimon and to roll forwards as the way given by the in-training lines dedicated. Tai and Agumon rolled the eggs along.

It was almost a bit like bowling, but Tai was careful not to have fun.

He was rolling _eggs_ around.

Luckily Agumon and he were no longer alone in their responsibility of the babies. Not long after MetalGraymon had devolved and they had tied the dark digimon up a couple of other in-training digimon had evolved. Normally.

Now there was an Otamamon and a Terriermon happily helping them out; a bit clumsy but very eagerly they were currently feeding crying digimon.

Tai wondered what was going on.

Normal evolutions were not happening just like occasionally like everyday things. Dark evolutions even less so.

And yet within the span of half a day Tai had seen more than a dozen evolutions.

Something was very very wrong here and Tai knew he was in no way able to go and investigate or wander through the digiworld.

Elecmon –who was now a BlackGarurumon knocked out and tied up- was right with one thing; the babies, the young digimon were the future of the world. Or at least a big part of it.

He couldn't leave, not for as long as digimon were still frequently turning evil for no predictable reason at all.

Tai had to stay to protect the babies when –or if- the new caretakers turned evil.

Until then they couldn't risk it.

That was also the reason why Tai was evacuating the village to the cave behind the waterfall.

The cave was easily to oversee, easily to defend. Not the most comfortable or best equipped place for babies, but given the situation it was wise not to be picky.

So Tai and Agumon seemed to become long time babysitters. Hadn't he just come to the conclusion that they were chosen to fight?

The irony was _not_ funny.

* * *

><p>Koichi suspected this world had neither day nor night, not even twilight. Everything was stuck at a slow grey.<p>

It had been messing with his sense of time from the first second and now, coupled with the lack of physical needs, Koichi suspected he had lost it completely.

He could have been here for only hours or days. Maybe even weeks or years, though Koichi rather hoped not.

He couldn't judge by the scenery either. Not only had it not been changing for a long time –maybe?-, but it had also been blocking his sight.

Stupidly he had that and boredom -of all things- allowed to get to him and evolved to Lowemon to run faster and after that had not done him any good –even with jumping he could only see grass-, he had devolved and evolved twice until his fractal code was complete and had then evolved to KaiserLeomon to cover more ground, consequently messing with his perception of time even more.

And here Koichi had thought he was a very patient person…

Maybe this whole mess was getting to him? Or the darkness of this world was getting to him?

Now he stood on a cliff; waves were crashing against the shore below him and the stale smell of rotten water sullied the air. Despite the waves there was no wind.

Gray mist hung over the sea, but Kaiserleomon was sure there were shadows moving in it.

He howled out once, a call that simply needed answering, but he was not surprised when nothing came back.

Besides everything it was not in darkness' nature to do so.

Sniffing the air once more, he took off along the shore, his paws hitting against the hard ground.

* * *

><p>The most interesting thing on this entire island indeed. But not particularly helpful.<p>

The wood was rotting. In this warm climate, with salt in the air and occasional waves reaching far inland it would have only taken a few years to decay.

Tommy dropped the piece of wood on the beach and surveyed the remains once more. It had probably been a hut some years ago. Not too small, but probably only able to hold a dozen people or so.

And it had been destroyed in a fight. The unnaturally broken planks and a couple dozen toppled trees were all the signs Tommy needed. He had been become a bit of a detective in recent years and the thought made him grin.

Tommy, the bullied kid, making confident deductions from a couple of clues a few years later.

His brother would slide of his chair in disbelieve…

The smile dropped off his face and all amusement drained away.

The sky was as blue as back home. Even the clouds were the same. Tommy could almost think he was under the same sky as his annoying big brother or his too caring parents.

But he wasn't. The sky might look the same, but it was not. It wasn't even the actual counterpart.

Just some random blue sky worlds away from home. Home to which he would never ever return to even if he survived this war.

Tommy blinked.

He had to stop thinking of it as home.

Well. From now on 'home' was his digital world. Full stop. Some pinpointing could be done later.

He checked his D-tector, but there still wasn't a signal. It was the D-terminal he needed most, but the thing wasn't working. He pocketed both devices again; cursing had already been done plenty some half a day ago, half way up a certain mountain.

Anyway, the sun was sinking and in the darkness of night there was nothing Tommy could do. When tomorrow came he could consider either freezing himself a float or building one as staying on this abandoned ghost island did not appear helpful.

He curled up against a tree and waited for sleep to come.

Tommy had almost drifted off to sleep when his D-tector suddenly started beeping. Shooting up, the device was in his hand and he on his feet. The search function had never been particularly used in their time, but only this last day Tommy had pressed the button frequency more often than his entire live before. For once, it actually wasn't in vain.

"Hey!"

* * *

><p>Sora and Piyomon had fallen a long way down. A really long way, that had been too small for Piyomon to digivolve and so Sora's poor partner had had to struggle in her usual body to keep her from crashing.<p>

But even then it had been enough to knock the wind out of both of them and when they had come to digimon were leaning over them and poking them with sticks like overcurious children. The careless demeanour had changed as soon as they had woken up though, and they had been threatened and ordered to follow.

Sora had complied, of course; the only ones the Chosen Children avoided and fought were those belonging to the Army and Sora was pretty sure that the digimon marching them through a labyrinth of old corridors were not, in fact, belonging to them.

While she still didn't know what had become of Takuya, but –going from the worst case scenario- she did know that, even though some digimon apparently volunteered and weren't controlled, the digimon she was in the company of were likely not belonging to them.

They were a bit too ineffective in doing their jobs for that.

It was a very entertaining mixture of funny and cute.

Once they had stopped discussing –almost violently- if Sora and Piyomon were to be taken along or killed on the spot, that was.

A couple of PetiMeramon flew ahead, an Agumon followed, then Sora and Piyomon, behind the two of them another Agumon and two lion-like digimon walking on two legs that Sora had never seen before made up the end.

It was, Sora figured, supposed to be something of a prison-march, but their escort was so busy bickering between themselves and only occasionally threatening Sora with a pointy claw or a warm flame that she rather suspected she could just take a right turn and the others would continue walking straight and not miss her until someone wanted to poke her again.

"No mercy, you know!"

"That's right. Mercy isn't right!"

"Nononono. Wrong! Being nice isn't wrong!"

"That's right!"

* * *

><p>Ken glared at the controls.<p>

What had he been thinking? Optimistically assuming the self-destruct would still work. Hadn't the fight between him and his friends damaged the fortress so heavily it had crashed? Hadn't his crest been needed to prevent a large scale explosion?

_What_ had he been thinking?

Ken _didn't just_ forget such important facts.

He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. It had to be this place. The Digimon Kaiser was in every stone of it and it made Ken sick. He wasn't sweating because of heat, he wasn't feeling nauseous because of the drop in temperature from outside to inside.

Picking up Wormmon he headed into another part of the place. The Digimon Kaiser had been many things and prepared was one of them.

Ken had to leave. Now.

The fortress was…it had many uses, some of which were probably still functional, some of which Ken could use, but Ken couldn't stay here long without getting insane.

There were other places he could find what he needed, do what he had to.

He had to remember, though, once this crisis was over to return and destroy it once and for all; the damage as it was, was not decisive enough that it couldn't be rebuilt.

When Ken finally left the fortress behind on a flying vehicle of the Kaiser's it was freezing out it the desert and the stars stood high in the sky.

His D-terminal wasn't working anymore, broken by sand, but in day light Ken thought he had seen a shadow on the horizon, a vague shape.

After hours of flying there was still nothing and just as Ken worried if he had fallen prey to a mirage, a dark shaper rose against the night sky.

Later still, he stood in awe before a pyramid. He had never seen the original in Egypt, but he was pretty sure that the tip usually pointed to the sky and not into the sand.

Only hesitating for a split second, Ken made his way towards it; it had to have an entrance and chances were that he'd find more help inside it than in the open desert. Maybe there was even a TV.

* * *

><p>Koji was, by no definition of the word, stupid.<p>

That honourable description he happily pushed onto Takuya.

So he was definitely insulted that his intelligence and abilities were underestimated like this.

Yes, Koji had been aware that Labramon had been allowed to escape. Yes, he had also been aware that it would only take someone a bit smart to figure out that the control on the digimon had not suddenly, out of the blue, failed.

Koji knew for a fact there was at least one person on this ship that was intelligent enough to figure it out. Probably had done so, maybe even predicted the event and subsequently it had been allowed to happen and taken into consideration.

Possibly, that was.

Koji had no idea what stupid thing the boss here was thinking up, allowing him to do as he pleased, but whatever it was left Koji with plenty of options. Even if some of them were granted to him –be it in a sadistic play of power, a perverse glee at seeing him try and fail, or that they just plain couldn't be bothered to do something about it-, giving Koji the freedom to act at all was an immensely stupid thing.

That was assuming said boss was aware of what Koji was doing, that was. Currently he could only make assumptions so he had to take all unknown factors into the equitation and act form there, but Koji was good at math and he had many eyes working form him occasionally.

There was such a thing as exploiting opportunities and spinning things to work in one's favor with only the barest means, after all.

Stll, Koji was insulted that the bone-armed ruler would think this little of him –of them; the people that were needed at all cost.

He was insulted, but Koji was not as vain as to announce his abilities to the world just to get more trouble. Oh no, Koji was operating, ironically enough, from the darkness for now.

He needed Koichi's help, but Koichi wasn't in the back of his mind and Koji had to make do without.

It was difficult. Oh-so-very difficult to make himself focus entirely on two places at once. He had been failing for a long time, but once he had succeeded –only thanks to a certain unfortunate situation- Koji felt like the playing field had started to shift. Subtly.

At least inside the fortress.

Outside was a different story.

And as long as it didn't concern the one room he had most interest in.

His priorities had shifted thanks to the girl getting caught. But the overall goal changed not one bit.

Unfortunately Koji still hadn't found a solution yet, though.

Getting her out was the easy part. It was the things that came after that that were worrisome.

Getting her out had no meaning if she was going to get caught again not a second later or if she had no way of protecting herself. The fallout from that didn't bear considering.

Koji had to find a way of getting her out, getting her partner out –easy- and making sure she was going to _stay_ out.

Unable to grunt in frustration Koij turned his mind to the only other human within reach on this ship. Again.

It was sad to watch him humiliated and broken like that. The man had always struck him of having a strong will. Something like that shouldn't be able to ever disappear completely.

* * *

><p>Sora cautiously poked the red sheen, and when it didn't hurt her she followed her escort through it.<p>

Immediately she was assaulted by heat and when she blinked her eyes open, her surroundings turned to life.

Staring in awe and shock Sora stood at the rim of an entire underground city. "Wow" she breathed.

"This way, human," the lion like digimon, Coronamon, ordered gruffly.

Numbly and still in disbelieve Sora and Piyomon followed through streets of one and two storied stone houses, passed digimon happily chatting and plying in the streets, and had to dodge over eager ones flying through the air.

Fires were burning everywhere; in simple torches, bonfires on some roof tops, the digimon themselves; Meramon, BlueMeramon, PetiMeramon, Agumon, digimon she had never seen before. All of whom were throwing her weary glances.

Sora had no idea where she was. She had never even heard of a place like this or, more alarming, of some of the digimon.

Some beings were arguing deeply using the same arguments their escort had employed. About what was 'right', what was 'wrong', what they 'were'.

Her breath grew labored and hot, every inhale sent a new wave of heat through her body and in no time at all she was struggling not to faint. It was sweltering.

Piyomon was tugging at her hand and saying something worriedly, but Sora had to focus on only staying upright.

Only after they had been standing still for a while did Sora notice she wasn't walking anymore. Darkness was dancing in the corners of her eyes, but it was getting better. She focused on her breathing, deep in, deep out.

If she didn't know better she would say she had walked into an oven. But she adapted, and slowly she started hearing things again.

"Excuse me, Avatar-samas!"

Tiredly, she looked at beings Coronamon addressed. They were the people in charge probably; the ones to decide what to do with her and Piyomon. The ones to decide if they had to fight their way out.

She did a double take. Shock kicked her brain back into action.

He was wearing goggles, a cap and casual trousers and a t-shirt, looking much better than Sora had ever imagined him to see after being kidnapped. He was arguing loudly with another digimon, an Asuramon. Sora and Piyomon were only two of a mass of interested looking bystanders.

"- is hypocritical," Takuya was saying, "Look around you! Fire is everywhere. It is here but it also outside. That is what we should look to. How can we claim it as us, when we pathetically build ourselves in? When we hide. Fire does _not_ hide! It burns everything it touches, leaves a trace everywhere, on _everything_. We are free. Absolute freedom. Why should we care what others say? Why should we fear it? Why should we hide because of it and deny ourselves?" The way he spoke vaguely reminded Sora of something; loud, not only addressing his adversary but also the audience.

The Asuramon was wearing a highly decorated cloak, glittering in the flames. "Such are my words exactly. Fire burns, everything. And we should not let _anyone_ forget it! We are fire. We are strong. And we have been _forgotten_! How can we have been forgotten when we are fire and free?" The Asuramon's head turned, the face of wrath taking the lead. "We should show them! Make them remember what we are like! And we shall make them regret slaying and disgracing the great Zhuqiaomon! Such is our wrath. Have you forgotten, my brothers and sisters, for how long we have endured the anger, the scorn? Have you forgotten how they are living in ignorance of our great leader's sacrifice? They shall regret it!"

The crowd roared in approval.

A knot formed in Sora's stomach.

"Excuse me! Avatar-samas!" Coronamon sounded and looked annoyed, its pawed hands crossed as it waited until T_akuya_ and Asuramon faced it. "We have found intruders. How do you wish to proceed?"

A muted silence fell, full of anticipation. The knot in Sora's stomach claimed her throat and everything she might have had to say was suffocated by the heavy, almost malicious air.

A multitude of expressions flashed over Takuya's face, one of them calculating as he studied Sora and Piyomon's appearance. A few moments passed before his lips broke into a smile and he hurried over enthusiastically. "My friends," he exclaimed loudly for everyone to hear as he put Sora into a bear hug in an exaggerated show. "What brings you here? What a coincidence!"

He let go of a stiff Sora and swung Piyomon around, seemingly overjoyed. The crowd stepped back, gasps and horrified exclamations overpowering the sizzling flames.

"What is the meaning of this," Asuramon's demanded, rearing closer and looming over Takuya with hands twitching in a threat of violence. "Explain yourself! Have you betrayed us? Thrown away our good faith? Outsiders!"

"Don't be stupid!" Takuya snapped right back. Very deliberate, very in control. A show. "How should I have invited anyone when I have not left this city since I arrived?"

"You are human. That is reason enough!"

Again the crowd murmured in agreement.

Takuya's eyes flashed and he stomped his foot on the ground. Flames sparked from the contact and ran along the tiles. It was no real anger, Sora saw quickly. A show; fake. A reaction created for the masses. What was he doing?

"I am no human. You have determined so yourself, Wrath. And maybe if you would think before you speak you would be spared the humiliation of being publicly declared wrong in something as easily resolved by a simple question. Something that can be heard by anyone and everyone present. Or would you accuse me of mind-controlling my _fellow_ for such a thing?" Again there were gasps, but less horrified and more morbid interested now.

Asuramon seethed, but somehow the favour had shifted to Takuya and the boy knew it, judging by the smirk he carried as he turned to face Sora. "Would you please explain for everyone to hear how it is that you have come to this place?"

Sora cleared her throat. "Of course." She might only have a rough idea what was going on, but she had heard enough to know what Takuya needed her to say. Roughly. It was cooler now somehow, and her mind proved more capable of rational thought. "We were walking through the forest on the surface, intending to reach a nearby river when suddenly the ground gave away and Piyomon and I fell down." Better not mention the herd of Mammothmon that might or might not play a role in that. "By the time we came to, a pair of Coronamon and Agumon had found us. Subsequently we were escorted here."

A simple report with enough left out to be used as needed. That much Sora was capable of as well, having practiced similar evasion years ago when she had still kept her duties a secret and having watched lately how anti-digimon groups manipulated facts to their purposes.

The digimon vs anti-digimon debates back home were very similar to what was going on here. Some kind of political battle. She hoped not much was at stake.

"You see," Takuya announced, spreading his arms and gesturing wildly at Sora and Piyomon. "It was an accident that brought them here. Kill them for that? What kind of digimon would we be if we killed our fellows for that?"

This time the crowd roared in crass disapproval and it took some time for them to calm.

"They are not _our_ fellows!" One Meramon exclaimed.

"They are yours!" A lion digimon with wings on its back added. "Traitor!"

"Traitor!"

"Traitor!"

Asuramon smirked, throwing a haughty look at Takuya. Sora swallowed nervously, glancing at the younger boy. She didn't want to have to fight, but if they decided to hurt them there was no choice.

Takuya, however, seemed still calm as he waited for the accusations to quiet and after a while they did.

"You just called me a traitor," Takuya began, his voice slightly off. "Why? I tell you why. It is because I called someone my kind who you think isn't. And I ask you in return: why? Why is Piyomon and by extension her partner not one of us? You believe she does not belong to us of the Fire because she is also allied to another power, the ones of the Sky?" He glanced around, head tiled up, eyes brown, but clearly reflecting the fires burning everywhere. A show. And as he spoke clearly, confidently, demanding about the nature of fire, and what it meant for them who were of it, he walked around, freely. His words were elaborate; colorful versions of normal blunt speech, employing rhetorics as he addressed the masses, drawing them in.

This situation and the problem had never been about Sora; Piyomon and her appearance was nothing but a convenient tool the opposite forces, Takuya and Asuramon, to twist to their causes.

In the back of her mind, the rational part, Sora was impressed by the passion he put into the speech, how he pulled his listeners along and how good he was at it. Even Sora found herself almost agreeing with him though she had close to no idea what it was actually about.

The other part of her was bluntly perplexed by what the hell was going on and why _Takuya_ of all people was holding a speech with practices ease.

"You cannot answer me?" Just to be sure Takuya glanced over the assembled digimon, well aware that the look in his eyes discouraged anyone from speaking up that in turn transformed hesitation into support. "Very well. Then I tell you: There is no freedom in it! It is a perverse twist of corruption on our spirit!"

The crowd drew back, some digimon staggering as if they had been hit, all looking varying degrees of horrified.

Takuya ignored them coolly, driving his point a bit more home. As he spoke, he walked around expertly getting closer to the digimon, staring them in the eye. They were blue now. It was convincing, especially for a fire type. What they saw through his eyes was no human; it wasn't even the remains of Agnimon or Vitramon. Their inborn knowledge recognized something older, something their instincts respected. Takuya used that ruthlessly. The end justified the means in this case.

He finished his little tour by standing but an arm's length away from Asuramon. "Is it not better, not freer, not more absolute to be respected and revered for our fire than to be feared? We should know better than anyone what a shallow emotion fear is."

The place had fallen silent but for the crackling to flames; every eye was directed at Takuya and Asuramon. Wraith's face retreated for Blessing to take its place and the triple heads gave a nod of acceptance.

It was Takuya's all out victory. The masses and crowd were his, as was the opposition.

How much he had practiced this in the time he was missing, Sora wondered hesitantly. The skill to talk a crowd into submission didn't come from nothing. Though, considering, there were probably a few she knew who could. Tai, sometimes when he was being mature, Kari, too, Yolei, and, she thought with the faint irritation she always felt, Matt with his fangirls.

But still, having the ability to do so and actually doing so was quite a difference.

Takuya grinned, stepping down from the metaphorical stage, shredding his self-created cloak of authority as he invited her to follow him, leaving the crowd in its musings and contemplating on the points Takuya had just presented them with.

As soon as Sora took a step however, the heat assaulted her again and she stumbled from exhaustion.

"Sora!" Piyomon worried, not letting go of her partners hand even for a second. Her body was too small to carry her, but she had to show Sora she was there.

"Oh, sorry," Takuya said, his eyes narrowing in concentration and a moment later Sora could breathe fine again. "I forgot."

Sora took deep breaths, but this time she didn't have a surprise to shake the slowness in her head away and it took a few minutes to find her words. "How- What did you do?"

"I'm fire," Takuya said, as he lead them through the town. "Heat is a part of it so I can do a bit of manipulation with it."

The girl exhaled. "Thank you."

"No problem," he returned easily, waving to a few digimon who gave him respectful nods as he passed. "It all comes with practice, just like talking."

"How much have you been practicing that? Before just now I would have bet you couldn't hold a speech to save your life."

He frowned in annoyance at the reminder. Unconsciously Sora relaxed some. "Seeing how I have more than one intellect in my head, my mind is working a bit faster than it used to." He shrugged, entering a small house.

The interior was not exactly rich with details and décor, but for a house that belonged to Takuya for a week it was downright elegant. Drawings on the wall were all colourful, furniture was made of stone, but there were a few pillows to make it bearable. There were no doors to close. He gestured her to sit.

"Anyway, I am really glad to see someone down here." He was looking through different pots, occasionally pocking a finger inside, his back to Sora and Piyomon. He had at least twenty of all sizes spread out through the little, one roomed house. "I was going insane with all those fanatics."

"What is going on here exactly?" Sora asked just not slumping, because some things weren't adding up. "This city wasn't on my map and I have never even heard of some of the digimon down here. And the things you were discussing… they sounded a bit…" she trailed off, feeling it hard to put a word it.

Having found what he was looking for, Takuya dumped two plates with some strange pinkish lumps on them in front of her and Piyomon. It stunk and she pulled a face, Takuya gave her a sympathetic look.

What she was supposed to do was clear. She poked it with a finger. It wobbled, but was surprisingly cool. Sora grimaced. "I'm not sure I want to know, but what exactly is this."

The other Chosen Child sat down on a chair opposite of her. "I didn't ask." He took a handful of his own plate and pushed it into his mouth; his expression left Sora under no illusions of the taste. "For obvious reasons. But the sad thing is that if you are a being that needs water down here, then this is what you have to eat. I have been wondering from day one why they couldn't just stuff some water in some jaws and smack a tight lid on top of it to keep it from escaping." He looked at his food distastefully. "Probably has something to do with their stupid, misguided pride." His voice was laden with annoyance and contempt.

"Yes, so what is the deal with that?" Sora repeated, wanting a good distraction for when she finally had to force the eatable mass down. "And how did you get here? And landed in some kind of leader-position?"

* * *

><p>TK, Cody and their partners entered the building at top; through the only entrance it possessed.<p>

TK readily believed this to be a temple.

He had never been inside a western one, but this building, ancient, was still imposing. Mandalas, pictures and symbols had once upon a time been carved so lovingly into solid stone that impressions of glory still remained ages later.

Colors were all but faded, fine fissures, erosion and purposeful destruction had made murals unrecognizable. Yet TK felt the clearness in the air, an after breath of single minded purpose.

They stood in a small chamber. One staircase, left, led deeper down into the building, while one on the right went up, probably outside.

"Do you know for whom this temple was, Patamon?" Chances were that Patamon, evolving regularly to a holy digimon, did in fact know instinctively about this place, but so far he hadn't been forthcoming. Instead, far from his usual childish self, the creature sat immobile on TK's hat, gazing around solemn and sad.

"Nu-huh." Patamon sailed down from TK's head, landing softly at the chambers centre. Someone or something had taken great care to erase whatever had been carved there out of existence. Unless TK was much mistaken it had been done with very sharp claws. "But it was really important. Really, really loved."

"I think so, too." Armadimon was behaving just like Patamon, which was even more out of character for him. His snout was constantly pressed to the ground as if he hoped to smell something. When he didn't, he became strangely agitated before trying again. His behaviour had made Cody slightly jumpy. "Missing. Something….someone….is _missing_." Distraught, the armadillo's eyes were tearing up.

"Armadimon…"Cody knelt down, hugging his partner as TK picked Patamon up, not setting him back up on his head.

TK was insanely curious about this building, but if it comes at the price of messing with the digimon's minds then he wanted to get out of here fast.

No sooner than he finished the thought Armadimon ran away, full speed to the stairs leading into the temple.

"Armadimon!" Cody called after his partner, but the armadillo had already disappeared into the darkness. Without a second to waste Cody picked up his handful of glowing moss and ran after him.

TK was a second behind, stumbling the sometimes broken stairs down and down, passing levels and chambers on the way, witnessing more hints of violence, of tragedy.

It grieved TK to think of all the lives lost for he was certain this holy place would have been fought for till the last. How many bodies had fallen to the very ground he was walking on? How many times had flesh and blood burst into data and left not a trace of existence behind?

Patamon whimpered. TK mumbled an apology and made an effort not to hold him too tightly as he raced deeper and deeper into the earth. The steps were slippery, the walls wet and the darkness lurking was not purely optical; a trace of the evil that had occurred in this place.

TK's breath was laboured when they finally couldn't descend any deeper. The air was cool and damp, water stood up to his ankles. He never noticed any of it.

A chamber, a hall, was deep beneath the temple. Glowing moss was growing only in designated spaces, drawing symbols on all four walls and the ceiling, basking it in an eerie green light, the effect amplified by reflecting of the dark waters.

It was no doubt a sanctuary, the most precious place. Not even destruction had reached here.

In the centre, visible only by the lack of reflective surface, was an altar.

TK stepped closer hesitantly. Armadimon was staring at it, a forlorn and broken expression on his face, tears dripping into the water as he stared at the structure, artfully build in simplicity. Ten feet times ten feet of solid dark brown stone. It had a shallow inwards crenation.

Water had gathered in it, but not enough to hide a fist sized, gleaming pearl from sight.

"What is that?" TK whispered, his voice resounding multiple times.

The smaller boy was carrying his partner, struggling under the weight but clearly unwilling to let go of him. Hesitantly Cody reached out, touching the object, but only after glancing at Patamon and Armadimon once. If this was something not to be touched, then those two would know.

Patamon only had eerily empty eyes for the orb, and Armadimon was snuggling closer to Cody.

TK gave the younger boy a nod and Cody's fingers brushed over flawlessly smooth surface.

It shimmered softly and disappeared. A heartbeat later Cody's D-terminal glowed once.

In TK's arms Patamon relaxed, then started wriggling and complaining he wanted to be on TK's head.

Armadimon was getting better as well and was now interestedly, but simply, looking around, which gave Cody the mobility to dig his D-terminal out of his pocket.

"It says 'Xuanwumon's Ninth'." He frowned confusedly. "Do you know what that is?"

TK shook his head. "Never heard of it. If the description doesn't say more, then it must be something we can find out on our own." The funny thing with items loaded onto their terminals was that they had a description not unlike in games. "Anyway, I think we are done here. I want to get out. Let's go."

* * *

><p>"It is all a bit complicated," Takuya began, leaning back in his stone chair. "How much do you know about the Digiworld's history? The long, long ago history?"<p>

Sora blinked in surprise. "Not much. Only that once before us a group of chosen children existed. Is this about them?" She had always been curious about their predecessors, but she had never put any thought to actually finding out about them. Now she wondered if that was a mistake.

Takuya shrugged indifferently, the gesture saying nothing at all. "To make a very long story short, this world once had five digital rulers. A lot of things happened and then only two had been left. Qinglongmon was one of them. Another had been Zhuqiaomon. The Sovereign of the South and 'Supreme Ruler of Fire.'" He rolled his eyes, showing quite clearly what he thought of that particular title. "The two of them ended up having a fight. Very lethal and about something a bit more important than just who rules which parts of the world. And now only Qinglongmon is left."

Meaning the other was dead. Maybe that was one reason why Qinglongmon had almost no presence at all. And didn't it say once that it was weakened and injured?

Takuya interrupted her train of thought as he continued. "As far as I understand in the world above the fight was remembered only very vague and Zhuqiaomon had been turned into a villain over the millennia and all pure fire types, who would have Zhuqiaomon's loyal subjects had it been still alive, paid for it. Being ridiculed and discriminated against. I'm sure you can paint the picture." Takuya shrugged again, seemingly disinterested in his fellow's plight. "So, they didn't like that and after a couple thousand years or so they moved underground, flocking and building their lives around temple of their 'Great One' that had survived time."

"That is here," he added after a moment. "You probably haven't seen it, but there is a temple; so large and looming you kind of miss it and take it as part of the décor. I'm not quite sure how many of these cities exist, but I have been to three before coming here" Sora swallowed hastily, staring at the younger boy. Another three like this? Underground?

"Anyway, down here the digimon have hidden away from the scorn they would –or at a time would have; it has been a long since anyone has been up there- face. Problem only that we fire types have terrible pride and or grudge problems sometimes and leave _that_ to fester for a few millennia and you have a whole culture of fanatic followers with extremist attitudes coupled with some religious believe that their long dead leader, who by the way had never been some god to worship, would want retribution _now_. So long ago after the fact no one other than Qinglongmon is still alive to remember what actually happened."

He let that sink in, pausing, and Sora absently took a handful of her food, her thoughts racing. Takuya practically just said that a whole country had been hidden from the world, from them, possibly even Gennai, for thousands of years and that the reason for it was human-typed racism. That it had turned the digimon down here into beings who were –to use Real World metaphors- just short of taking up arms and start a civil war. For something that happened too long ago to actually remember it.

If she took what just happened on the plaza into consideration then, then this civilization down here stood more on the brink than she had thought. That, she reasoned, was enough to keep Takuya here for some time. The notion that Takuya would have forgotten about his importance to them, the battles and his friends, the desperate need of help and threat the Fortress posed also to this underground society was inconceivable. The Warrior Children were nothing if not radically practical. Takuya wouldn't spend even an hour down here just for fun. But if his presence was somehow critical, then…

"And where do you come in," she asked, right to the point. Next to her Piyomon was forcing the mud called food down.

Takuya ginned. "Funny story that," he said, rubbing his cheek in remembrance. "I triggered one of their alarm systems and they found me and saved my life when I had been stupid enough to get poisoned by a plant some time before." If they had seriously considered killing Sora without a second thought, she had great doubt he would be saved just like that.

Seeing her look, he elaborated. "They knew I wasn't just human and a pure fire type digimon otherwise I would have been killed, but they still didn't know what to do with me and I was shipped around a bit with the occasional death sentences thrown in till I ended up here, which is the capital by the way, where my fate was to be decided by the leader. Avatar of Fire he is called. It is a great honour and can only be gained by digimon, who are 'exceptionally in tune with the 'Great One's will'. In case you hadn't guessed it is Asuramon, whom you've had the pleasure of meeting." Asuramon indeed had looked like some kind of leader, but Sora had explained his attire and attitude away with him simply being the highest level.

"In the end my being the spiritual successor to AncientGraymon made me another Avatar of Fire." A grimace flittered across his face, but was quickly suppressed and Sora had to fight down a grin. Takuya was most definitely not the type to speak as any religious medium. Religions included lots of not-acting and to put Takuya on a level with _that_ was like saying Kari was evil impersonated.

"That was five and a half days ago and I have been publicly _philosophising,_" he said it with distaste so thick Sora could almost touch it, "against Asuramon's ever since. The digimon here are very secretive and in equal measures protective of their own kind. So I'm really glad it was you who came here and not anymore else," he explained, turning back to his 'political campaign', "Hawkmon is also half fire, but as I see it Yolei is a bit hard to work with and Agumon is a pure fire so there would be no meaning in getting agreement then." Getting them to allow Sora and Piyomon to stay was an important victory.

"And if you wouldn't be doing this, the digimon here would like to start a war?" Sora guessed, feeling spot on.

"Yeah," confirmed Takuya and Sora sighed. "And a lot of digimon down here can evolve at will. You really should explore your digital world a bit more throughout once this is over."

"Yes. The parents might not like it," she said, eyes lost in possible dramas, missing the shadow flicker over Takuya's face, "but I bet the Third Generation would jump at the chance."

"And perhaps look at the moon, too," the goggle head suggested, conversationally. "Our digital world has three moons and all three are populated. But anyway, back to the topic," he became serious again. Sora switched gears as well. "This place has power. Left over from Zhuqiaomon himself. You have seen the red sheen at the end of the tunnels? It exists because in the temple here is one of Zhuqiaomon's Orbs of Power. It creates something like... I call it a protective field. It is the real thing and I _think_ that as long as no digimon leaves that field, they are safe from control. Many, many digimon would be safe down here and digieggs would be well protected and cared for. But you people need to organize that," he cut to the chase. "Spread the word once I win agreement from the Council, though that shouldn't take long." Here he smirked, gleefully remembering his decisive victory today. "Then digimon would come here, be incredibly grateful for help and the fire types down here would realize they are only outsides because they make themselves. And we wouldn't have to worry about fighting a three side war."

"Oh," said Sora, feeling awkwardly guilty. "That is…uh…probably not going to work. While you were here we had trouble, too. You see…"

* * *

><p>Ken wasn't surprised the TV wasn't working, but it had been worth a try. And even when it wasn't working it might still be of some use. He was just about to connect it with his cleaned and working D-terminal when he stiffened in alarm.<p>

The corridors and tunnels carried sound extremely well extremely far. So it was not a surprise that the crashing of one of the outer walls carried into the main chamber.

Ken bit his lip, glancing at the TV once before plugging his terminal out as Wormmon scurried around worriedly.

His digivice wasn't reacting and Ken knew the probability of the coming company being friendly was slim to none. For that he had to prepare.

The room he was in only had one entrance so it was a safe bet to assume the being would come from there.

It also meant there was no escape.

On the other hand the room was full of all kinds of technical and mechanical equipment.

How much time did he have? How strong was the opponent? What was its purpose? Did it even know Ken was here? Could he hide from it?

Estimating about seven minutes Ken glanced around, falling back on a much practiced saying; hope for the best, plan for the worst. What the visitor's goal was, Ken couldn't know yet and in the end, if it didn't know Ken to be here, then him not knowing wouldn't make a difference. If it did know, then hiding was going to be meaningless.

Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

"Wormmon, do you think you could…"

* * *

><p>Kari had subconsciously been waiting for something to happen and apprehension had built into a heavy weight in her chest, making her restless, her mind overactive and spinning the craziest scenarios; not knowing was a scary thing.<p>

Yet when she was finally attended, she wished desperately back for her state of ignorance.

"My, my," one of her two visitors cooed, a long tongue slithering over violet smirking lips, "look who is finally awake. Such a pleasure, don't you think?" The digimon dropped a clawed hand on the head of its companion, patting. Kari forgot how to breathe.

Phelesmon's grin widened and Gatomon's eyes remained impassive, unseeing.

"Hello to you too, my dear. I take it you recognize my new best friend? I would not be much surprised, seeing how your dear friend used to be one of them as well."

Gatmon didn't even twitch when one sharp finger drew over her cheek, cutting and leaving a red line of blood behind. On instinct Kari struggled against her bindings, but when only resistant answered her, fear made its way into her limps and her struggling increased. She shouted for Gatomon, because she knew and Phelesmon knew too, that standing just a few feet from her was not just any Gatmon.

Yet her partner didn't even twitch at Kari's desperate calls when usually she would be already on a blood path of revenge for whoever dared hurt Kari.

Nothing.

Sagging, she understood and levelled her glare at Phelesmon. Challenge. "What do you want?" Despite her best efforts, her voice cracked. Be it from fear, anger, nerves, or lack of use, she couldn't tell.

The digimon had been watching her, taking sadistic pleasure from her pain, laughing. Now it tempered down on its amusement, grinning wildly, darkly, as it returned the look.

"Nothing, Chosen" it said, goading, victorious. "Everything you could have for me, you have already given." As if to emphasize its point it patted Gatomon again.

Kari swallowed, gathering her courage. "What are you taking about?" She knew that when the teeth flashed white in an even bigger malicious smile that she made a mistake. Goosebumps rose on her skin at the look given to her.

"You want to know? Of course. Then who would I be to deny your last wish?" It knelt down in front of her, drawing a nail down her cheek, mimicking its earlier movement. "Out of all you pesky flies, you were the only one holding an interest for us. That is because our dear host of the light sadly doesn't include the elements despicable holiness. You, on the other hand do." It had her chin in a grip, forcing her head painfully to the side as she glowered at it from the corner of her eye.

It snorted, disgusted and got up. "Personally I don't see how that is possible, but it must be true as we already have results. Do you want to know them?" It asked, rhetorically, lips curling in distaste now that she wasn't visibly suffering. It was almost dismissive now. Kari wished she wasn't so relieved.

"Evolution," it said, sadistic glee sparking in its eyes along with some darker greed, "the light of evolution is ours now. And with it eventually every digimon in this world and all others."

"You are lying," Kari returned without hesitation. She was not stupid enough to believe everything fed to her. "I don't have that kind of power. I can make only my partner evolve."

A smack resounded through the room, stinging tears in her eyes and her lip split. But she didn't take her words back. If she could make Digimon evolve at will, then everything would be so much easier.

"And yet with your cooperation your ruler has already fallen. Qinglongmon is our mightiest servant, currently laying waste to your _precious_ world and sniffing out some pesky flies. Not to mention that digimon are evolving for our service."

It turned, giving her one last nasty smile before leaving her to her thoughts. "Enjoy your guard."

Gatomon stayed.

Kari shivered.

Her thoughts were stumbling and it took some time before she could force them back into order.

She was no expert on physiological warfare, never mind of breaking a mind, so she had no hint as to how to take what her jailor told her. Her mind and heart both didn't want to believe a single thing, but she didn't see any reason to tell her lies that she wouldn't believe. Surely there were more efficient ways to break her spirit; if that was even relevant as there was also the chance that everything she had been told was only said to Phelesmon's sadistic amusement in seeing her agonize over it.

The letter at least she was determined to prevent by schooling her features into blankness even when faced with the yellow eyes of the shell of Gatomon. If she was watched by some other means, which she surely was, she would not give an inch.

Gatomon stared at her, unblinking and monotone. No feeling was itched into her expression and she didn't move a muscle even as the red line on her face released a drop. It splattered to the ground, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent hall.

Her eyes…

Kari could hardly look at her partner without feeling a spark of intense uncharacteristic anger. Gatomon's eyes had always been full of untold messages. Even back when they first met and Gatomon had been at the verge of darkness.

Even back then something had reflected in her eyes and Kari had been able to read her.

Now…

She trembled, her shoulders and arms feeling strangely stiff as she bit her lip to prevent tears from falling.

Gatomon.

"Don't move. Don't say anything."

* * *

><p>A double chapter for August. Hope you enjoyed it. :)<p>

Takuya is finally back. He was not captured by the enemy, but he was tied down plenty and stuck doing thinks only he could do but had had actually no real interest or skill for. But duty prevailed and he was forced to debate what the hell fire is. Luckily, the subject was very much the best it could be for him, seeing how he was based of said characteristics. But he still couldn't wait to get the hell rid of talking-duty.

Other than that I have decided to dig a bit around in the digiwolrd's unknown history. As the saying goes, the past always catches up.

As always, I thank you for reading and ask you to leave a review to tell me what you think.

There is also still a poll on my profile.


	33. Digital World: Dark Evolution III

Chapter 32: Digital World: Dark Evolution III

* * *

><p>There were five screens in front of him with two keyboards each and Gennai had his fingers race over them so fast they were almost blurring. And yet he wasn't satisfied; the data he processed at lighting speed became graver by the second no matter how fast he and all of his copies were working.<p>

His focus had tunnel vision, blocking everything and all out except his hacking of the system.

They, him and his copies, all in similar situations, were going to keep working on hacking the server, creating firewalls, viruses and, decoys until it was over. Giving up was not in their programming even when it was their fallen Lord who they were fighting against.

The invasion had to be prevented at all cost. With the Digital World already thrown into chaos and the Chosen Children lost within it, the one thing that could make the situation even worse had to be stopped.

Maybe if they re-booted the connection and switched targets, then...

Five seconds later Gennai was back to working on the original path, the other having proven fruitless. But still…

_Not yet_, he thought, _there is still time._

Little did he know that their work was not going unnoticed, that Izzy sat in front of his own screen and frowned and the display.

* * *

><p>Kari stared at Gatomon, not trusting her ears and eyes.<p>

Gatomon's expression, blank, didn't show any indication of having spoken, of being conscious, or of being _there_ and yet Kari was sure she hadn't imagined the voice.

If she had, then surely Gatomon would have spoken kinder. Not harsh and indifferent.

Kari stared and that was the only reason she indeed didn't pull a muscle as she had been told.

To Kari time seemed to move much slower as she rationalized, convinced herself, forced her mind and heart into a state of cold preparation to finally come to the conclusion that, imagination or not, she had to be composed enough to keep her expression and posture exactly like it was no matter what. Because otherwise she might never find out who it was that spoke to her with her partner's voice.

Minutes had to pass until the other finally decided Kari was in sound enough state of mind to not give herself away.

Gatomon stared back at her, her yellow –why were the usually blue ones yellow?- impassive and Kari felt like she was being observed like and animal in a zoo.

"I have a proposal to make."

Reflexively, Kari swallowed, but not even daring to breathe for fear that she…

"I'll be able to get you out of here if you can cooperate."

She tried to give no indication that she was listening.

Almost unnoticed, Gatomon sighed. "Calm down. We are only under visual observation so as long as you aren't too obvious no one will care if you seemingly speak to yourself."

"Who are you?" If she was able to speak, then that was what she _had_ to know first and foremost. Not particularly to be able to judge how truthful the words were, but rather to know if Gatomon was in danger.

Gatomon's tail twitched. "Koji."

Kari fought not to have her feelings show on her face. "The one who possessed that Labramon?"

Gatomon's –Koji's- expression didn't change. "It couldn't be helped," he said emotionlessly, and forestalling her next question or maybe seeing the fear that worked its way out of Kari's control, the other added, "I'm not so cruel as to do that to a partner digimon."

"That makes it right?" She asked, but without fire, knowing it wasn't her fight. She thought it was wrong, she understood and agreed with Yolei's anger, but Kari wasn't one to anger over things long in the past.

"I had Labramon's full agreement," the chosen child in Kari's partner replied. "Anyway, that isn't important. Important is that Phelesmon didn't lie to you about your...influence. As we speak digimon are darkevolving thanks to you and if this goes on then soon no sane digimon will be left and you will be dead."

The message of her death didn't come as much as a shock to her as the knowledge of what she was doing to the world. Kari had expected to be killed from the moment she had been caught, maybe even from the moment she realized where she had landed. "But if they need…me," she started, her head still wraping around what was her fault, "to make digimon evolve, doesn't that mean they can't kill me? Because they need me?"

"There are many ways to kill someone. One of these doesn't include you taking your ability with you," was explained from Gatomon's lips. "Look at your body. This damned fortress it devouring you."

Kari risked a glance at her torso. It took a moment in the flickering and scarce light of torches, but she thought she saw the black stone being unnaturally close to her; closer than should be possible.

And now that she saw, she felt it too, the stone not simply touching her so much as that she was slowly sinking into it.

"It tried to do the same to us," her fellow digidestined continued, unconcerned by the third shock Kari received in short order. "But we managed to work around complete absorption. But the same can't be said for you and there is nothing to be done about it other than getting you out of here fast."

Kari still hadn't taken her eyes of her body. Absorption. Never had she dreamed of it being possible, of…of it happening to her, of being dissolved instead of right out killed…Never had she been so hopelessly lost as to have time to _think_ about the threat of death looming over her. Nervously she swallowed, suddenly feeling cold.

"That is also why they have put your partner to watch." And that, quite like nothing else had the power to wipe everything else from the girl's mind. Her head snapped up, eyes wide. "They want her to watch you die without doing anything and push her towards her dark evolution."The other paused as horror sunk into Kari and fear, not for her, never for her, but for her partner drowned out everything else. "The partners of Chosen Children are much stronger than your average digimon after all."

"What do I have to do?" Kari asked, the words quickly stumbling past her lip before she even registered them. More than her own death she was scared of leaving Gatomon to despair. And for Gatomon, who has waited all her life to meet Kari, who has suffered in darkness all alone for so long….there was nothing worse than being left behind. "How can we escape?"

* * *

><p>"O-of course, Lord," he said, bowing and stepping aside, while inside terror was ripping him apart. He shouldn't have done it. He shouldn't have interfered. Now they will know…<p>

If only he hadn't, then at least he…

...

Then what?

Then everything would return to normal?

Then there would only be more on his mountain of regrets?

Suddenly he was so _tired_ of regretting.

It felt like he had spent his entire life doing nothing else. And now he didn't even have anything left regretting for; nothing other than his life and how much was that worth?

_As long as you are alive, things can better._ That is what he had been telling himself for so long already. Whose last words were they? He couldn't remember.

But now he had the chance to make it better. If not his life, then at least…

That was why he was here in the first place, wasn't it? He did his job to protect what had been most important to him, and that had been cruelly taken from him when his back was turned.

But now…one of those was…

"If- if I may, Lord Phelesmon…" If he couldn't, didn't do anything now, then what he had promised himself to be an eternity ago would be broken…the promise that made him decide to be here, to work, to be a _slave_, would be gone. His life would lose what little meaning it still carried.

He _couldn't_ let Phelesmon _see_, watch, listen in.

"Operation Nobel Revival is off schedule," he blurted out, lying. It wasn't.

But Phelesmon turned, and while cold sweat broke out on his skin, he had done it. Behind the digimon on a monitor, the girl's lips were moving and her expression was troubled.

_"What?_" Demanded Phelesmon, eyes flashing and to his horror he had to fight the sudden urge _not_ to cower under the gaze.

"I-I mean…" he stuttered. "It is ahead of schedule." Then he added submitting, knowing from his years of servitude in which direction the comment would work, "I was just about to inform His Majesty of it."

Glee, greed, and some other things quickly replaced rage and were shown unabashed on Phelesmon's expression. "Tell me more," the dark creature almost purred, stepping closer to him.

"Th-the statistics sh-show an increase since- since yesterday at afternoon time. The timing coincides with the complement of His Majesty's rule over Light." That wasn't true either, but…

...but he was too far gone to not take this step now.

"A-At this rate I su-suspect about a week earlier before the beginning of the Final Phase…" Against his own inclinations he closed his eyes. A gesture of surrender. An acceptance of just having signed his death warrant.

Already he regretted it again. Why did he do what he did? Why didn't he think of something else? Why did something that was supposed to be long gone and dead inside him and never properly been there in the first place turn up in him _now_?

Or maybe it wasn't and he just wanted to die.

"I shall tell His Majesty." Phelesmon said, as he had known it would, and it stepped by him out of the room. His very own work station. "Filthy human."

But he hardly listened, his eyes nailed to the monitor showing a different column; a currently empty one.

_I will die_, he thought, but he was living past his time already.

* * *

><p>Standing behind a pile of heavy metal crates, Ken was watching the chamber's entrance with sharp eyes.<p>

Almost completely filled with darkness, the only light source was the TV. It had to be enough for him to see when he and Wormmon were no longer alone.

With the resounding steps already very close, he didn't much doubt it, but Ken still didn't want to risk eliminating one of his friends by mistake.

He was tense and a bit jumpy; shadows moved around, always, and one was easily fooled into believing things that weren't. One moment he thought the other was there, the next he thought he still had a few minutes and could plant a trap, but he was never sure and stayed in place in fear of giving his position away.

He swallowed, briefly glancing into the direction he knew Wormmon to be even if he couldn't see his partner, as the steps got ever louder.

It sounded like a -just one- heavy, possibly metallic digimon and automatically he ran down a list of them that naturally lived in the desert.

It was close now, very close. Ken strained his eyes. There!

It was a bulky form, too angular to be anything human or any evolutions of his friends'.

Not wasting a second he pushed the top crate off the pile and, attached to the ceiling with one of Wormmon's strings, it swung through the chamber like a swing. It hit the digimon with a loud crash.

Metal typed digimon weren't Ken's strong point as Stingmon was more developed in the agile direction than in the power, but he hadn't anticipated a favourable match in the first place and he had had time to plan.

The crate came swinging back and Ken gave it another push, in hopes of it hitting the digimon once more, but opponent didn't seem to be stupid or weak, and was not being caught off guard as it attacked the crate.

The chamber was lit by a flash and the Ken's makeshift weapon crashed uselessly to the ground, glimmering orange form melting metal.

Ken swallowed, his muscles tensing in preparation. That hadn't been simple return fire; no explosion and too pinpointed, and the result was…

His hand closed around his digivice, but not yet. Not yet.

The digimon's eyes, looking directly at Ken, glowed red.

The boy dropped to the floor, disappearing completely behind the crates, knowing when he felt heat against his back that whatever covers he had meant nothing.

He could feel Wormmon's eyes on him in the split second where he lay on the ground, motionless, and Ken begged his partner in his mind to stay in position.

He rolled over the floor, getting up into a crouch with is head spinning, but he ignored it and set of running.

The digimon wasn't even properly in the chamber yet and Ken could use that to get it to…

A small red dot raced across the floor right before his feet. Nerves jumping, Ken changed direction, throwing himself behind some debris. His heart beating rapidly in his chest, he waited to throw off a possible motion calculator, before he, carefully creeping along on the ground, prepared himself to sneak another look. Then he had to start running again…

He bit his lip, reminding himself of his goal in the rush of adrenaline; he only had to get into the corner to force the digimon to take another step forward to enter the battle field fully.

Truthfully, he knew, the digimon was probably only a champion level and Stingmon could beat most of them, but Ken understood, as it was right now, they had to use every advantage to its fullest, even if that meant recklessness. Because as long as they were in the digital world, there was no way of knowing for how long they were on their own and how many enemies they had to fight.

Just he was about to take off again, the granting sound of metallic steps filled the chamber and Ken's breath caught.

For an infinite moment, there was silence, then high screeching drowned everything out, followed by deafening crashes that shook the ground. Metal still creaked for a long time, but Ken breathed a sigh of relief.

He dug out his D-terminal, with which he has previously hacked into the pyramid's system, and flickered the lights on.

"Ken!" Wormmon swung from the ceiling where he had waited in ambush position into Ken's face. "Are you hurt? You aren't hurt, are you, Ken?"

The genius chuckled, pulling his partner from his face to catch his breath. "I'm all right. You did very well, Wormmon."

The little digimon squirmed embarrassedly at the praise. "I didn't do anything," he protested weakly, his green skin turning an interesting shade of violet as he blushed.

"But you did," returned Ken kindly, "If you hadn't tied the crane and framework so perfectly together, they wouldn't have fallen correctly." The chamber was filled will all kinds of stuff; stuff that had no logical place in a pyramid. It almost looked like a building site crossed with a high-tech lab. Ken of course had used that to his advantage and built a trap. "And you waited patiently."

Looking at the mess they had made, Ken stepped a bit closer to the pile under which they had buried their opponent. He couldn't see the digimon, but he hoped it was still there and not broken up into data.

"It was a Guardromon," whispered Wormmon. Wormmon, as based of bug data, had eyes that weren't working as well as Ken's, but in exchange his sight wasn't as hampered by day and night, and he didn't rely on them as much as on his other senses.

"It still is a Guardomon then." Ken considered; on the one hand Ken didn't know when he'd stumble over the next TV, but on the other hand there was a chance of the Guardromon recovering enough to continue fighting since being buried underneath piles of metal was not enough to do any lasting damage to a Guardromon.

As if in response to his unspoken worries, the pile creaked ominously. Ken took a cautious step back from it.

It didn't end with just one creak. The pile trembled, shook and bars crashed to the ground.

Wasting no time, Ken jumped back, bringing more distance between them. If it was him, then he'd die from having one metal bar lying on top of him.

He saw the core move, the brown metal skin of Guardomon being set apart from the surrounding natural gray now that it was no longer completely buried from sight.

Taking more steps back, to the opposite end of the chamber, Ken felt his focus sharpening as he held his digivice steady in hand. "Wormmon!"

The evolution came as easy as always. His digivice glowed, transferring to Wormmon, and his partner changed form.

The pile gave one last creak before it was violently thrown outwards, digging into the stone walls, floor and ceiling.

Stingmon swiped one bar coming at them to the side, but Ken's eyes were drawn to the Guardromon.

There was something wrong with it. Its eyes were expressionless, blank, and completely black and yet it released an aura of such darkness that it made Ken shudder. It was the kind of Darkness Ken was used to, the one he hated and feared; it was evil. Cold, but full of power, emotionless, yet obsessed.

Too familiar, far too familiar.

"Ken…?"

Evil was oozing in the air, making the well-lit chamber seemingly dark. Stingmon sensed it too; this, whatever it was, was not natural in any sense; not even natural evil.

"Wait, Stingmon. Wait." Ken whispered, hesitating.

The darkness, the evil, was all focused around Guardromon, giving him an aura of purplish, black energy. It became thicker with every moment, crawling between the layers of Guardromon's iron skin until it was obscured by darkness and shadows.

Ken swallowed, a flicker of recognition tickling at the back of his mind. Misty and clouded, it was recollection from his time as Digimon Kaiser.

Dark Evolution!

"Attack, Stingmon!"

His partner surged ahead, attacking without hesitation, spike extended for a deep impact. "Spiking finish!"

Ken hardly dared to watch as Stingmon's spike was swallowed by the darkness, not even a glow left behind. But his partner wasn't stopped, preparing his second hand as well and stabbing into the evolution. Then he pulled his arms out, piercing his foe again, once, twice, thrice, before he backed up, flying back to Ken's side. His form was tense, agitated, and apprehensive, but Ken was first and foremost relieved to see that the sheen-like light of the dark evolution hadn't harmed his partner's limbs.

"It's strong," Stingmon hissed, and Ken's eyes automatically flashed back to their opponent.

The darkness had become less oppressive, more focused and, Ken knew, that wasn't a good thing when the evolution finally finished forming a tall, humanoid figure.

The chosen child drew in a sharp breath when he recognized it.

Wearing a red-black cloak, a half-face mask, a blue body suit, pale greyish skin, violet lips with fangs poking out; Guardromon had darkevolved into a Vamdemon.

Ken stepped back on instinct.

Except for the mask and the blond hair, there was hardly any similarity between it and BelialVamdemon, but those few common features were enough to remind Ken of the overwhelming power the digimon had possessed and the despair it had nurtured in every heart.

"Ken," said Stingmon, his voice concerned, even daring a short glance away from Vamdemon to make sure of Ken's safety.

"I'm all right." Ken was aware his voice was shaking and he closed his eyes for a brief second, clenching his digivice almost painfully in his hand to anchor himself back into the present. "I'm fine." He swallowed. "But that is…"

Vamdemon was a powerful digimon with a dark nature, strong enough to take on several ultra-level digimon and win. It had been a terrifying enemy of the first generation and brought chaos to the real world; an incident Ken remembered only fleetingly.

Without Davis and Veemon Ken and Stingmon couldn't even reach the same level.

The Vamdemon had yet to make a move, seemingly inspecting its body with a black expression.

Ken gulped down a bitter taste of defeat as he muttered his next words to Stingmon in a low voice. "We have to escape."

Stingmon nodded, unperceived and lifted Ken to his shoulders. Fighting when Ken was directly involved was always a double bladed sword to Stingmon. On the one hand it made him do better; fight better, hit harder, dodge more carefully, more determined, but on the other hand it put Ken in the direct line of fire. However in this case there was no choice and while Ken felt for his partner he trusted him to do his absolute best as long as the boy held on tight and didn't make Stingmon worry more.

It was lucky, Ken supposed, that Stingmon's skin and muscle tissue was extremely hard and that even when the teen held onto the neck for life, the digimon would hardly notice, never mind be choked.

The pair was ready just in time. Vamdemon had them in their sight now, properly, and the fight began.

* * *

><p>Kari drifted between dream and reality; fleetingly, she was able to distinguish between the two, but soon the boundaries blurred again, and she couldn't tell them apart.<p>

Her dreams as well as her present were equally dark. Shades of darkness were looming in every corner, every thought. Some had power, some were the simple absence of light, and some were her nightmares personified, while others carried a pleasant numbness with them.

She knew, when she was able to say she was awake, that she was still captured, that Gatomon was still standing impassively in front of her and that she felt the skin on her back was dissolving in acid. She couldn't even shrug her shoulders anymore, too tied into the pillar against her back as she was. The rest of her body felt painfully stiff, her throat ached with thirst and her stomach curled in hunger. She couldn't tell for how long she had been clad in chains.

Her dreams on the other hand turned steadily darker, paling from absurd nonsense her subconscious spun and her wishes to a sheen of grey and black mists, smothering her active thoughts.

She tried to fight it; not only for the death she feared the gathering darkness symbolized, but also, more simply and yet so much more complex, that it was her duty. Kari was light. She was always light and darkness wasn't supposed to be in her heart, because it went against her nature.

But before long her will was weakened, drowned to semi-consciousness along with her mind. Sluggishly she wondered if she lost her light, her influence over evolution was also lost. Maybe it was a good thing, then?

* * *

><p>Ken was pressed against Stingmon's back as his partner narrowly avoided a bloody whip before he had to fight for his hold when the bug digimon suddenly accelerated to high speed, attacking.<p>

But before Stingmon even crossed half way of the distance, Vamdemon released a shower of bats, engulfing them and scratching both their skins with sharp little claws.

Vamdemon followed the attack in quick succession with another lash. The red energy dug into the though skin on Stingmon's forearms and pushed him back. With a second strike, blood tainted the green skin and after a third the bug digimon was finally thrown back. Attempting to absorb some of the damage, Stingmon moved with the motion, simply angling his body and his wings to the impact point. He landed feet first against a wall with one hand going to his back to secure Ken, whose human body was unable to keep up with the pressure of the impact otherwise, while, knees bent, he vibrated his wings.

Stingmon took off into the air, playing on his superior agility and speed once more, the only thing he could play on.

"Dead scream!" Even with the great distance between them, the ghost like wave of malicious energy wasn't easy to avoid and it scratched him, before hitting the ceiling behind them with a hissing impact, dissolving stone.

"Stay at distance," Ken breathed quickly. They were unable to get past Vamdemon into the corridor, having tried it. There was no use in trying again and getting more damage. Just one full hit by that last attack and the battle would be over.

At the distance however, at last fifty feet, Vamdemon's attacks were limited, dodging was easier and Ken hoped to come up with a stratgy they could use.

Another bat-shaped wave brushed past them, hitting the same spot and disintegrated more stone. There was something they might be able to do with that, but not now.

"Moon Shooter!" The pressured air raced towards the vampire digimon, ripping the bats of Nightly Raid apart in a bloody mess, but was harmlessly swiped aside with a lazy wave of one hand from the target.

No matter what Stingmon tired, it seemed, nothing had even the smallest effect on Vamdemon. Stingmon however was growing tired, was hurt and his moves used.

The deathly game of dodging continued and while Ken struggled to hold on, his eyes caught sight of a growing reddish strain on its torso. For a moment the Digidestiend thought it was nothing more than décor, influenced by the vampire data, but he saw more than a few similar spots, all in the same area and it left him no doubt that Vamdemon was bleeding from a wound.

Hope bloomed in Ken's chest only to be squashed again when he realized that they were the stab wounds inflicted by Stingmon during the dark evolution. That didn't help.

Didn't they have any more options? Had they no chance?

At least Vamdemon couldn't seem to finish them of either, bound to earth as it was.

No sooner than Ken had thought this, the red whip lashed past them, digging with a grating noise into the stone and Vamdemon launched into the air after it, pulling itself up.

Startled, Stingmon failed to react and with a cry of "Bloody Punch" a fist dug in Stingmon's torso. The force of the punch was so strong, that Stingmon crashed into the ceiling and only managed to prevent crushing Ken with a desperate twist in the air.

Instead, it were Stingmon's claws that dug into the stone. The pressure on his awkwardly turned and wounded limps was almost too much and a cry of pain escaped him. But Stingmon's voice was was drowned out by a scream from Ken. Ken's weight had disappeared from his back.

Blood rushed to Stingmon's head and his vision tunneled, forgetting all about the enemy he was turning his back on. Ken and the quickly approaching ground was all he saw. Shooting towards his partner at the highest speed yet, Stingmon prayed to make it in time.

Vamdemon attacked.

Twin whips broke the bug's wings and ripped into his skin. Stingmon felt his evolution unravel, his body change and weaken, but all he thought about was catching Ken. Ken, who had one arm extended towards him, whose expression was set in one of fear and surprise, whose lips were parted into a by now silent scream, whose hair was blowing into his face and who had helplessness stitched into his body.

Stingmon caught his partner only a split second before his evolution was completely erased and even shorter before Ken crashed into the ground.

The landing still hurt, was still by far too fast to be save, but they were both alive and Wormmon crawled out from under Ken, struggling as his body protested in pain. "Ken? Ken? Are you hurt? Ken?"

The dark haired boy groaned, rolling of his partner as he gasped for breath. His eyes wide and whole body shaking he still attempted to give the little digimon a reassuring smile. Failing, his arms gave way under him and he collapse onto his back.

He got a clear view of both Wormmon, who worriedly crawled into his sight and Vamdemon.

Ken snatched Wormmon to his chest, twisting to the side and rolling.

"Bloody Punch." The impact resounded eerily in the otherwise silent chamber and stone splitters blasted all around, cutting into Ken's skin with superficial wounds.

Vamdemon's fist was buried up to his elbow in stone, but the digimon's eyes never left Ken. the Digidestined scrambled to his feet, swaying, his legs were still weak from his almost-death experience just second's earlier.

Wormmon had devolved, and Vamdemon, eyes never leaving Ken's form, tracking his movements with disquieting precision, showed no sign of even having been in a fight.

* * *

><p>Takuya was undeniably smug when just one day after Sora had stumbled into the central of borderline idiotic fanatics he had managed to get the Council to agree to all of his demands. Reluctantly maybe, on trial time maybe, but he had not desired or expected anything more.<p>

His primary role was as an offensive battle force and while he did agree to push that purpose into the background when it wasn't needed or another option was more promising, it did not mean that Takuya was happy about it. Neither did it mean that he was good at it or that it was his duty. Mostly, his goal had been to talk the Fire Sect out of going to war noe; more precisely as long as there was still another war going on. That he had done.

Anything more was the resident Chosen Chidren's duty when the crisis with a giant moving fortress and element controlling enemy was over.

So the next day, shortly before noon he waved his farewell committee goodbye, his expression set on solemn-very-important-person expression before he, Sora and Piyomon were released into the upwards world.

And by released he meant lead to an exit -one of the only exits at that- that reminded Takuya more of a chimney than of anything else. It had the same size and the same form, though it was indefinitely longer than any chimney Takuya had ever seen and it had a ladder attached to its insides.

It was almost funny, he supposed.

They had both been given backpacks with food rations, too. Takuya's was almost twice the size of Sora's despite hers being made for her and her partner, but it didn't take long to figure out why. Prejudice didn't disappear within a day.

Takuya thanked all gods, digital and otherwise, that firetypes even, or rather especially, down here had a great sense of honour. The decision had been made and now Asuramon would argue Takuya's point of view if some digimon still opposed the new motion to help refugees.

He was also infinitely grateful that the digimon allowed him to leave despite being one of their two respected 'Avatar of Fire'. The stupid title.

In the human world it was a unthinkable to send a leader of any kind into danger, a war even more so, but that was simply a great difference, also called strangeness or backwards-logic by others. Takuya didn't see anything odd about it, since to be called odd one first had to have a sense of what was normal or natural and Takuya was opposed to labelling the Real World as the standard.

To Takuya the Real World and the Digital World simply were. Each in their own unique way and equal.

Still Takuya had to grin, when in typical digital logic the chimney ended not just anywhere, but in a volcanic crater.

As keeping his hand burning to give light while they were climbing upwards -how long was it anyway? A mile? Two?- was no longer necessary and, as he climbed out of the hole and got a good look at the bubbling masses below, he stifled the small flames licking at his skin without a look. Instead he directed his control to the girl following him. He pushed the heat away from her with great precision;a task that was much more difficult now than before as the temperature he had to keep away from her was much higher up here.

Sora's expression was a suppressed grimace; sweat was running down her skin, her breath uneven and her face was red, probably from burns, but she didn't complain a bit.

Takuya had no idea how hot it was usually in a crater of a still active volcano, but he did know that it was more than enough to cook a normal human within seconds.

With that in mind he quickly scanned the surrounding cliff.

"Looks like we have no choice but to fly." Predictably there was no quick, save or easy way upwards. If there were, the Fire Sect would have had a lot more visitors over the millennia.

"Sora." When the girl didn't immediately reach for her digivice for Birdramon, Pyiomon poked her partner, conveying worry and confusion all in one. The red head was instead leaning on her knees, swaying a bit with labored breath. "Sora? What's wrong?"

Understanding, Takuya frowned, focusing harder, willing the heat away, away, away. Takuya wasn't sure if it was working, but Sora managed a small smile at her partner and contact with her digivice.

Birdramon flew them out and while Takuya would have liked to fly out of the crater himself, practice to familiarize himself with the change and Vitramon's body, he feared his focus on Sora would break during the still not exactly comfortable or easy evolution.

So he let himself be carried, held in the bird's claws and he observed with perfect view the sea of lava beneath them. Meramon and PetiMeramon were –he'd like to try that too one day- bathing in the lava.

But how strange. How come they never found the entrance to the underground city?

Or maybe they did, he thought, and they only kept it a secret from everyone not like themselves? Or maybe those digimon do belong to the Fire Sect and the vulcano is something like a swimming pool for them? Maybe the Fire Sect wasn't as closed off as he had believed. That could explain where the Meramon, PetiMeramon and the Skullmeramon attacking the real world had come from.

But never mind that, he reminded himself, they had more important things to worry about. Like what they were supposed to do now, where they should go to, where the others were, if the other side had a way of tracking them…

He paused. Squinting, Takuya tried to see past the blinding glow of liquid stone, looking at one of two Meramon that suddenly had another colour. Dark, almost black points instead of the normal orange.

At first he thought they had simply changed colour to their blue counterparts, but then they seemed to move with a desperate quickness before suddenly disappearing completely. Like into thin air. Or into data.

He turned to the side, intent on asking Sora if she had seen the same, but one look at her made it clear she wasn't noticing much of anything beyond the claw holding her, if that.

Glancing back down, Takuya ran different possibilities through is head.

That, in contrast to what he had told Sora, took some time, because he in fact didn't have three minds to work with anymore. In the week he had been separated from the other he had had enough time and enough sleep to work through Agnimon and Vitramon's memories.

In other words, now he was only one mind; a fusion of Takuya, Agnimon, Vitramon. Which meant when he dug in his memories, he even remembered fighting Lucemon. For the first time.

But that was nothing the other chosen children had to know. They'd feel unnecessarily guilty about things that were not only not their fault but also not their business.

And besides, what else should he have said to Sora? _Well, I might not be good with politics and speeches and such, but I do have two times three thousand years of life experience and even when they were spend mostly in a sluggish state of consciousness I had had to think about _something_ during it._

Yeah, like that would have worked out well.

Despite what Takuya had decided about this world and the people, he was of the belief of being mostly on need-to-know basis concerning everything _personal_ with the digidestined. Everything else would be a bother and translate into trouble thanks to the children's emotional actions.

Takuya would rather not have that, thank you very much.

Anyway, back to the point, the only possibilities Takuya saw for digimon to suddenly disappear in a way that might or might not be bursting into data, was under this circumstances that they suddenly decided to evolve. Evolve into forms that couldn't endure a lava bath and died.

But that was stupid, wasn't it?

That would be suicide. Unless they were made to evolve by outside forces. But capable of that were only partners and except the twelve that Takuya knew, not a single one was supposed to be in the digiworld. And partners wouldn't kill partners.

So, then what, mused Takuya as the crater disappeared with Birdramon's descend into the trees.

* * *

><p>The chapter for September.<p>

Please leave a review.


	34. Digital World: Dark Evolution IV

Chapter 33: Digital World: Dark Evolution IV

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><p>There was a flash, a startled sound of surprise, followed by exasperated groaning and mumbled, unfriendly words. Then, for a moment there was silence as the person and digimon who had fallen out of the TV took in the situation they had interrupted.<p>

Ken's wide eyes met Izzy's, whose then proceeded to land on Vamdemon.

There was not much to explain -the situation was bluntly clear- but the human mind was a fragile and limited thing, especially in everyday life, and thought process was limited, slow and desperately narrow. Ken knew this very well, having experienced and remembering how his head had operated when it hadn't been normal. Thought process was also a matter of habit and because he _remembered_, his brain still tended to work like genius', connecting dots faster, seeing things differently, and that alone was what still gave Ken the title of it despite no longer being one. The only true genius in their group of chosen children was Izzy.

The younger of the two could practically see how thoughts were racing in the elder's mind and how things were falling into place.

Time was slow for Ken's adrenaline influenced head, but it couldn't have been more than half a second before the red head understood the situation.

A second after that, the chamber was filled with the light of evolution and Ken wasted no time getting away from the Vamdemon.

Except for taking only an almost casual swipe at the black haired teen, the vampire digimon didn't even seem to notice the boy's movement behind crates and rocks and material serving as cover. Ken didn't quite know how to interpret that behavior; it wasn't logical. Ken was the easier target.

AtlurKabuterimon quickly took up the space of the chamber, filling the air with its great red beetle armor and humming power of electricity.

The current battle field was not one that was favorable to the parter digimon of the red-head, but battlefield advantages could be turned around easily. Especially when Vamdemon didn't even attempt to use or defend it's advantage. That too, was _not_ normal.

Instead of using its smaller size to outmaneuver the bigger digimon, Vamdemon stood still, observing, before attacking head on, in a way that allowed even Ken, who was not programmed for it, to read the movement.

AtlurKabuterimon quickly shocked it out of the air with a burst of lighting. Vamdemon dropped to the ground, blackened but still moving and got up. Natural or not, illogical or not, Ken fought down his apprehension and glanced at Wormmon in his arms. "Can you fight, Wormmon?"

Wormmon didn't look too good, violet scratches all over his body, but the determination in his big eyes told Ken all he needed to know. Even if he didn't want to acknowledge it.

But the thing was, the two of them had a duty. A duty that was their responsibility and their overriding pull. It was difficult to find a balance between duty and everything else. To never let duty consume everything else, even if concessions had to be made. Right now was such a point. Ken didn't want to let Wormmon fight again, but he had to, because the alternative was worse.

"Leave it to me, Ken."

The dark haired boy nodded, clenching his digivice, but not yet triggering the evolution. "Listen, Vamemon are strong. Even with Izzy and AtlurKabuterimon's help it won't go down easily, but..."

As Ken explained his plan to to Wormmon, Izzy was doing what he was best at; thinking. His partner was an unmovable fortress, an iron wall in the chamber they had landed in and protected him securely. Izzy could afford to think.

And that was good, because Izzy noticed after the first few seconds of the fight that the Vamdemon was not as strong as the one they had faced a six years ago. That or AtlurKabuterimon had gotten stronger. Izzy took several factors into his calculations and came up with a possibility of relatively even odds. It wasn't helpful and he immediately turned his thoughts into a hopefully more productive direction.

He glanced to where he suspected Ken to be hiding. The younger of the two wasn't visible and Izzy bit his lip in worry.

The fight had come to something of a stop. Or a repetition. The Vamdemon demonstrated clearly the limit of the long range control it was under by attempting the very same attack again and again, with the very same pattern. It jumped into the air, prepared for a move, but was struck down by a lightning bolt, falling to the ground. Repeat and repeat. It's movements, Izzy noticed, were fluid, powerful and level-accurate, but that seemed to be all. Like it was operating on barely more than instinct. Izzy filed the observation back for later.

That turned the Ultimate's threat level a few notches down, but the danger was still very much present as Tentomon was not an offensive digimon, or as used to to combat as the others of their generation. Consequently AtlurKabuterimon didn't have the stamina to keep this charade of a fight up much longer, and if he couldn't, then things would turn bad very quickly.

It had to be decided soon. And as things looked, the priority given to their own survival and only-just-started new mission outweighed the individual.

Sometimes Izzy_ hated_ how rational his mind operated. It was all analysis and rationality first and emotions second. He felt very cold sometimes.

But still, with that thought in mind, the red head searched the chamber, ignoring the dull thud of a body crashing yet again into the ground.

Something, something...

Catching movement form the corner of his eyes, he saw Ken sneak out of his hiding place, careful to avoid the Vamdemon's sight and breaking an iron rod off from a the leftover bits of a crane.

Izzy's eyes sharpened. Watching the younger boy hurry back behind a pile of crates and disappearing form sight, Izzy's expectations were not disappointed when a few moments later Stingmon burst out form a violet light. The rod in hand.

And Vamdemon's pattern changed. It was struck to the ground, but it didn't jump up again. Instead stood still, watching, limps twitching. Again, Izzy filed the observation away for later.

Then it disappeared. Too fast for Izzy's eyes to track, but not for Stingmon. While Izzy called something to his hovering partner, the bug digimon froze his wings, only just avoiding a bloody strike. The fist brushed over his head, making Stingmon's head ache from the vibrations of energy. The muscles in his arm jumped, and with Ken's voice still resounding his his ears, he used all power he had and _rammed_ the rod into Vamdemon's torso.

Something gave under the force, flesh, bones and metal. The rod curved and finally broke, a piece sticking out of the superior digimon's shoulder.

It didn't even slow the next attack down.

Stingmon fell with too much force, but using gravity to put more distance between him and his opponent was the only thing he could do. He needed distance; or else not even his with his speed he would be able to avoid lethal strikes. The impact into the ground still hurt and his wings numbed. Strain to keep up the evolution and his wounds zapped his energy.

_Ken trusted him. Ken needed him. Ken worried._

Stingmon rolled to the side, knowing even without seeing that just he just barely escaped with his life. Dark spots danced before his eyes and the ground didn't seem to stay still, but the air hummed and Stingmon beat his wings in response. Loosing touch to the rough stone with his claws, he had to be in the air, but Stingmon couldn't feel or see it anymore.

Despite his efforts he felt his power unravel, data escape him.

But not just yet. His belly twisted. Not just yet. Ken.

_Ken._

Darkness swallowed him. First his sight, then his senses, then his ears. The last thing he heard was Ken.

* * *

><p>Mimi eyed the thing suspiciously.<p>

"What is that, Mimi?"

"I don't know," the girl replied, "it looks like a cube, but cubes usually aren't black or of that size."

"Then why did it react to the digivice?"

Poking the object with a stick, she shrugged worriedly. It didn't react to the stick and hesitantly Mimi took a step closer. It didn't _look_ dangerous, but in the digital world that didn't mean much at all.

Mimi was very sure this was one of those moments where appearances meant preciously little. Sighing she looked from the thing once, then glanced at the landscape to gather her courage.

After a long time of wandering Palmon her digivice had suddenly reacted to something. The signal had been fleeting and lead her down the path of destruction left in the Mammothmons' wake. At the time she had dearly hoped that none of their friends had been caught in the stampede and instead of a friend they had been lead to a black cube. About the size of her foot and suspicious only as it was the only thing still having solid form within some few dozen miles other than the ground.

Mimi eyed it. Palmon eyed it, curiously.

"It doesn't look like a Digimental."

Mimi's expression darkened into a glare. "No, it doesn't." She hated this. What was she supposed to do? She was only a high school girl. Not anyone special who would know what to do in this situation.

* * *

><p>"You really saved us," said Ken, once Minimon was treated and he remembered his manners. "If you hadn't come out of this TV..."<p>

"Mmmh," returned Izzy absently, eyes focused as always on the screen of his laptop. Ken wasn't offended. It was just how the red-head was.

They were still in the pyramid, still in the chamber. Ken didn't think it wise to stay in one spot for too long, but Izzy had insisted he still had some work to do.

So Ken was waiting, holding an unconscious digimon in his lap, while the child of knowledge was otherwise busy.

"It wasn't luck, actually," said Izzy finally into the echoing silence, that carried no trace of the fierce battle that had occurred just an hour ago. Or of the lightning that had created one death. Only the literal lightning rod was left in the spot where Vamdemon had burst into data. "I told you I was _in_ the internet. Really inside the internet. From there I found out someone with a digivice was here, so obviously I chose this exit. I hadn't known about the fight, though..."

Ken had never been _in_ it. "Do you know where any one else is?"

Izzy sighed as he disconnected his PC from the TV. "No. I suspect I only piked up your signal, because you were near a TV. Since the TV is the direct connection to the internet, it might have something to do with that."

The path was Digiworld-internet-Reality, though usually it wasn't _really_ traveling through the internet. But the internet was, in the most accurate terms, something of a shadow of both the real world and the digital counterpart as well as a rough prototype of the latter. The connection to both worlds was strong, yet very fragile and thin, usually not able to allow entry to a life form. That said a lot. "What did you find out then," Ken asked, because there was no way Izzy would not have used the opportunity or left before he was done with it.

Izzy grimaced as if tasting something bitter, pronouncing the exhaustion carved onto his face asTentomon nervously clicked his claws. "Do you want the bad news or the worse news first?"

Izzy was not one for dramatics. Offering a weak smile, Ken ran a hand over his partner's soft skin. "Whatever you want."

Making a sound in the back of his throat, Izzy rose to his feet. Ken followed and they started making their way out of the chamber. "Did you know that despite the elemental control, Quinlongmon hadn't been affected? Well, that stopped some time ago. It underwent a Dark Evolution into DarkQuinlongmon. So our lone Sovereign got turned into a puppet and that means that pretty much all rights in the digital world are now under the control of the enemy. That's only the bad news."

Ken's eyes widened and he stumbled over a small rock. "Wha..." Even without Izzy telling him, he could see what was even worse than loosing the _one_ being that symbolized the stability of the digital world. By 'rights' the read-head didn't mean the human interpretation of the word -like laws, physics and such- but the much more basic, electronic meaning of it. "Administration rights," he breathed. Gate regulation, holy light of the evolution, were only some of the things Quinlongmon watched over. Had watched over.

Nodding grimly, Izzy continued. "They have promptly started to use that ability, too. You said the Guardromon evolved. Dark evolution too. That was probably how you were found, too. By your digivice. It is full of energy that they can monitor now." Ken swallowed hard. "That means if we want to remain undetected we can't allow our partners to evolve, no matter what. Or devolve. ...though, that doesn't explain how they found the Warrior Children...," he muttered absently, before returning to his explanation. "And beyond that, I bet you can think what _anyone_ could want with control over the gates. I noticed that and built a bit of a firewall, but I don't know how long it will hold. Or even if...," Izzy trailed off, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair and messaged his temple.

There were still Chosen Children left in the real word. More, in fact, than their group. They counted into the hundreds and thousands, but most of them were young children, and all of them were weak. Only those who had gained their digivice between the First and Second Generation could evolve their partners to Champion level and they were few and far between. And even they didn't have combat experience. That was the reason the twelve original children operated alone in the first place.

With the enemy's dark evolution now it was a save bet that soon all digimon would be forced to Ultimate. And the real world had no defense. And them, who were depended upon, were locked up in the digital world.

"...how many?" Ken asked, afraid to hear the answer. The real world...

Izzy just shook his head, carefully glancing out of the pyramid into the nightly desert. "I don't know yet. Gennai and I created another firewall that can't be opened -at all. It's self-generating, too, because it is powered by a virus I leaked to all electronic devices with access to the net. And even the first firewall isn't broken yet."

It was cold out in the desert. The sky was clear and stars hung in the sky, an exact copy of its real world counterpart. With the moon they gave enough light to oversee the waves of sand for a long while.

"...so we still have time?"

Izzy twitched strangely. "...Yes."

Ken swallowed the lump in his throat and the panic screaming in the back of his mind. "How long?"

The other just shook his head again. "I'll know when we don't have time any more. I also leaked a second virus. It is gathering and decoding information and sending them to me." He tried a smile, but with the dark rings under his eyes, the tenseness of his shoulders that Ken was only now beginning to understand, it made him look more dead than alive in the darkness. "With a bit of luck we'll soon know where the others are, what has happened to us, and everything else we could possibly need to know..."

Ken didn't feel reassured as the two humans and two digimon left the pyramid behind, following the sinking moon.

* * *

><p>"Sora!" Birdramon exclaimed, shrinking to Pyiomon and hushing to her partner's side who had collapsed into the grass.<p>

"What's wrong?" Takuya asked, worried when the girl didn't seem to be moving anytime soon.

Piyomon fretted, carefully rolling Sora onto her back and eyes tearing up.

The girl's skin was reddish from light burns, but what concerned Takuya was that Sora's face was flushed beyond that, and putting two fingers to her neck confirmed erratic heartbeat and dry skin. She was unconscious.

Takuya was familiar with the symptoms even when he himself had never experienced it. "It's a heat stroke," he told the pink bird, who was getting closer to a hysteric breakdown with every second. "She needs shadows and something to drink at least."

"But we don't have water!"

Takuya dug around in his bag. "This'll have to do." He held a ceramic pot in his hands and there was no question about what was inside it. "Help me get her over there." With his head he nodded at the next tree.

Together Takuya and Piyomon build Sora a makeshift bed of leaves, dirt and grass. They didn't have a blanket as such a thing hadn't existed for lack of need underground, but the leaves of the resident tropical trees were big enough to serve as a substitute.

Getting Sora to swallow the pinkish, cool slime was a bit more difficult, but eventually they managed when Sora returned to semi-consciousness for a short moment.

Caring for the sick, who wasn't Shinya, was a first for Takuya, but he rather thought he had managed when around noon the girl was sleeping normally.

Takuya smirked, thinking of her expression when she woke up and realized that the awful smelling goo that was their water supply had been pasted to her forehead and had sunk into her hair. He looked forward to being able to laugh at a girl without fearing to be ripped limb from limb.

"Will Sora be fine?" Piyomon interrupted his thoughts and Takuya glanced at the digimon kneeling faithfully at her partner's side.

"Of course," replied Takuya. "The only way she wouldn't is if we didn't treat her or if she couldn't rest. Which she is doing now." And he added, know it was futile anyway, "don't worry."

Worrying was all fine and good, but only reassuring when the person that one was worried about was awake to appreciate it or if the state was a close thing between life and death where subconscious support could make all the difference. Otherwise? Takuya thought sparing attention to the unstable surroundings and being aware of possible threats was much more important.

With that thought, Takuya eyed the still trees around their small clearing attentively. There were no digimon _anywhere_. From what he knew that wasn't surprising as they were all either in hiding or drafted into an army against their will and since they were in a forest which were usually populated by wind, wood, or earth typed digimon it would worry Takuya more if there _were_ digimon around.

He sighed, wondering when he was going to see his friends again. When he could finally free the others. Being treated as possessions bothered him. Being captured and imprisoned and unable to even twitch a muscle at will would have been pure torture for Takuya. Imagining even the most basic freedom stolen from him made Takuya itch to do some damage. How _dare_ they?

Gritting his teeth, he reminded himself that the others had different things they valued as Takuya valued his freedom.

And Zoe, if she was conscious, would be making her jailors' lives _hell_.

It actually amused him to think about it, but it was fleeting and he sighed. Takuya missed his friends. In the four years since they first met, there had never been a time where the six of them had been separated for more than a few weeks at a time. And now it was almost a month already…

Leaves rustled quietly and Takuya glanced up, expecting to see them move softly in a soft breeze.

They weren't.

Within the span of a second, Takuya's mind switched gears from passive observing to active watching and his body went tense for a moment before he forcibly relaxed and casually gazed deeper into the tress, straining his eyes, ears.

He saw nothing and he heard nothing, but he perceived a presence not there before. Not only one. Not two. Not ten.

This was, to state the obvious, troublesome.

Worse actually, because they were in a forest.

Piyomon, to her credit, had noticed their company, too. No matter how worried she was, digimon were all programmed for battle to a degree and not noticing a danger to her partner was rather unlikely.

Takuya swung his bag on his back, hoping it would be treated as normal clothes.

"Can you evolve without Sora?" Takuya asked just for the sake of it, already knowing the answer, as he looked shortly at the girl on the ground before his eyes were drawn back to the coming fight. "Against those numbers I can't protect you," he warned.

Piyomon fluttered her wings, a determined look entering her eyes. "I will protect Sora." Her tone booked no doubt.

Takuya nodded. "Look, we have to split up. I'll be the decoy. You just worry about keeping your partner safe." Inwardly he was relieved when Piyomon's priority lay completely with Sora and that he didn't have to worry about being 'protected'. Piyomon had probably forgotten about that. "We'll meet up at sundown a mile or so east from here, alright?"

"Yes." Piyomon agreed, taking position in front of her partner and looking ready to fight whoever dared to come close to Sora tooth and nail. "We will meet again at sundown. Be careful and good luck."

"Right back at you," grinned Takuya, anticipation slowly making itself known in his blood. This was going to be one big fight. One that Takuya didn't feel he could ever lose. For the first action in one week. The first fight with his newly perfectly digitalized body.

Takuya was _not_ going to lose.

Taking a breath, he routinely focused his mind. Then, heading right towards the most malicious presences, he ran into the forest.

His feet raced over the soft ground and he leaped over roots and headfirst through bushes. Feeling eyes following him, he smirked as he grasped a branch, swung up on it, jumped and took hold of a higher one and used his swinging momentum to propel at a digimon hanging from the trees.

Exhilaration pumped though his body, mixed with gleeful triumph when the Dokugumon, clawed against the very same tree, failed to react to his sudden attack.

Takuya kicked it in the head, flames erupting at contact point and setting the spider aflame. It fell from the bark, legs kicking, wiggling and struggling against the flames that were devouring its body alive.

Takuya, along with a couple dozen pairs of eyes hidden in the trees watched impassively as it died. It was understood apparently that this was a warning and had to be observed to the end. Common curtesy.

As the Warrior of Fire, Takuya was at a disadvantage in the forest. Being mostly unable to use Agnimon or Virtamon's attacks, he had to rely on surprise and his element advantage. Digimon living in the forest were weak to fires.

A ring of data built up around the blackened corpse. Takuya palmed it, gathered the data, felt it automatically being purified by his flames and, when the white digiegg had formed, gave the ball of white information back to the egg. It absorbed it neatly and a digiegg fell to the ground.

It was like a start signal.

Threads were spat at him. Takuya didn't bother try dodging, burning the webs when they tried contacting with his skin, preventing the poison from infecting him. At close range and as long as he was careful he could use fire. He didn't want to set the forest ablaze.

Surrounded, outnumbered, outmatched, Takuya quickly realized that in human form he didn't stand a chance. But they wouldn't give him the time he needed for his evolution either. Should have done that earlier. No matter.

Ducking behind a tree, hearing the hissing of poison against the wood, Takuya figured he simply needed to make time. Throwing himself forward, avoiding more poison, he rolled over the ground and took off in a sprint again. Smaller and faster, Takuya ran through the thick forest, skittered down a ledge, made a few sharp turns. The Dokugumon were too big, too bulky follow him quickly and the vicious snapping of their jaws became fainter as he ran.

Takuya didn't hesitate for a second, diving behind a tree and selecting his evolution.

Evolution without D-tector hadn't been that much different from with, but now that he was one body and one mind opposed to one body and three minds, there was a significant difference. Evolution was all about Takuya's psyche now; no longer was he one who made the decision and others, be it his partners or his device, made it happen. No, now he had to do all by himself and that was what took so much _time_.

It wasn't enough just to imagine the fist of Agnimon in place of his hand. He had to feel it.

He had to feel the gauntlet in place of his skin; he had to feel the three holes for sparking fire in it. He had to feel his muscle structure changed and his bones harden.

In other words, he had to make the right modifications to his data with his mind only by himself.

Very different, very difficult, but Takuya managed and the stream of bluish white, red sparked data surrounding him receded. Only to give place to the violet tinged threads and the grimace of a face splitting mouth and yellow eyes.

* * *

><p>This is the chapter for October, and as of this month, this story is two years old, though it certainly doesn't feel that way.<p>

I hope you like it.

Please leave me a review with your thoughts. (If there was something unclear about the battle against the Vamdemon, please say so, as things that seem perfectly to the author aren't quite the same to a reader.)

...

I have opened a **new** **poll** about updates and chapter lengths, since it occurred to me that keeping track of everything that is happening at the same time (and the jumping scenes) might be a bit difficult/bothersome.


	35. Digital World: Dark Evolution V

Flamon=Flamemon

Pinocchimon=Puppetmon

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><p>Chapter 34: Digital World: Dark Evolution V<p>

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><p>Agnimon yelped in surprise, trying to jump back only to find that he was bound tightly by –as a glance around revealed- poison threads of –one, two, five- seven Dokugumon and spider webs from one of the two present Archnemon.<p>

He jerked his head the side, the only part of his body he could move, dodging the female spider's sharp teeth by the breath of a hair. A peculiar smell tickled in his nose. They were poisons. And his face was the only part not covered in armor.

As if that'd work!

Fire sparked from the joints in his second skin and burned through his bindings in no time at all. Agnimon jumped backwards, flipping once, twice, before landing on his feet, sneering.

In the back of his mind he noticed that he was in a different place form where he had started his evolution. They were trying to kidnap him again. Fools. He'd rather die first.

No. The relevant question rather was if Agnimon's presence had been reported to the higher ups.

* * *

><p>"If I may, my Lord." One of the few shadows bowed, taking a small step forward, once a red eyes gave permission with its impassiveness. "May I request to head the retrieval?"<p>

The silence was as always heavy and thick, but at this request it turned as solid as air could with appraising, dismissing, angry, blank, envious, and emotionless stares directed at its back. The shadow was not intimidated, and elaborated on its request, encouraged by the Lord's lack of reaction and judgment.

"The Spirit of Fire is violent and unpredictable one. Myself already has experience with it and I wish to clean my sullied honor by delivering it to your feet where it belongs."

There was not one scoff or sneer of superiority from those capable of thought. The shadow which had voiced this assessment was not the only one to return in failure with regards to that element.

Eventually, the Lord spoke, voice carrying through the darkness that was not a bother to anyone. "I do not see why I should bother sending you, knowing you will fail."

The Lord's pause seemed particular aggressive. The shadow felt apprehension, dirty fear and cold shock seep into its bones. What was the Lord saying?

"If you need personal encounter to determine Fire acts as it is defined to, free in its decision and unforgiving to those slated as an enemy, I do not see how you could manage to find it even if you have searched the exact area in the last days it."

"My Lord! I-" the shadow cut itself off as the tension in the air spiked and tension was thick enough to suffocate.

"-be that as it may," his Majesty continued, red eyes leaving the cowering figure and piercing the darkness with a glance. "You are not the only one to have failed your duty lately."A second shadow shifts. "I shall be gracious today. Take troops and some of the special matter we have just for them. I want Fire and the rats dead, Phelesmon. Do not disappoint me."

Phelesmon bowed deeply, swallowing. "I shall return victorious." Once again rats have appeared within the Fire's reach, but this time it shall not be enough. Phelesmon was going to make sure to fulfill his Majesty's wish and get his revenge in the same move. Hopefully it was that MetalGarurumon and its human again. Paying that fire host back of the petty insults it had voiced in Phelesmon's presence the first time and the last time they met was to be a gift. That powerless human.

As Phelesmon left, ordering his troops, it a red tongue darted over pink lips. Murmuxmon had failed to capture it _twice_. Being the one to bring it before His Majesty now would surely raise Phelesmon finally above that filthy copy cat.

* * *

><p>In any case, he better hurry this fight up. <em>Careful with the fire control<em>, he thought. He was going to turn this into a slaughter. The digimon here, controlled or not, all had a tendency towards evil anyway and he could not afford to be as kind to the Dokugumon if it was the fate of the digital world he was _gambling_.

May their souls rest in peace.

Kicking off the ground, he sprinted forward, sliding underneath the wave of threats shot at him. They hissed, poisoning the grass, but Agnimon only had a mind for the offensive. Shooting to his feet, he went straight at the closest Archnemon. In a head charge, he closely avoided her threads and grasped them in his hands. Picking up his speed he slid underneath her. Agnimon forcefully flipped her onto her back when he pulled on her strings and she struggled, her eight legs punching in the air helplessly, her torso too weak turn around.

Agnimon wasn't done yet. Swirling around, he threw the spider into Dokugumon and they both crashed into the ground. Still connected with Archnemon through her web, he ignited his end and watched the flames lick along the cord for a split second, before he threw himself flat to the ground.

Rolling, he narrowly avoided more poison as a Dokugumon scurried near, jaw twitching and front legs raised to pierce his body. In mid roll he lashed out with an arm in the spider's direction, throwing flames in its direction, before he scrambled to his feet.

The Dokugumon closest to him was set aflame. Another Dokugumon and one Archnemon were a still living and but in helpless heap of flaming limps.

Leaving the one behind him burning, Agnimon zeroed in on the other two burning digimon.

Flipping backwards he disappeared between the trees and used them as cover as he ran around what had turned into the battle field. Jumping up on a low branch vicious spit flew under him as he kicked against the tree hard.

His foot cut through into the bark and a Dokugumon left the tree on a thin threat. It passed right by him and he jumped after. He landed on it, digging his sparking feet into its skull-marked back as he used the momentum form his fall to launch a heavy fist at its head. Flames sparked on impact and Agnimon felt something give.

The Dokugumon turned black, a data ring appeared, which Agnimno briefly palmed, before somersaulting off, right in the direction of the heap of two burning and panicking spider digimon. Spinning, he coated himself thinly in flames, burning poison and webs well before they touched him and extended a leg. "Salamander Break!"

The hit translated through Archnemon's body, turning all two of them into data rings and eggs. Agnimon palmed them as well before quickly scrambling behind trees again. Three balls of data were gathering in his hands and Agnimon resolved to deal with them later.

For now he still had fighting to do. One Archnemon and three Dokugumon down, one still burning which he had to deal with next lest it accidentally set the forest aflame. That left as far as he could see one Archnemon and about eighteen Dokugumon.

He was going to be here for some while still, but against these odds he was really lucky he could kill them so easily with his fire.

* * *

><p>He pressed the button, his finger shaking, but…<p>

But he had already decided it was too late to go back.

Done and gone.

He had made a decision and now he would have to stick with it.

And if he had to go out, then he wanted to make them regret ever taking him along. Breaking their deal.

No matter how scared he was, no matter how much he regretted as well.

A red light appeared on his monitor and he startled, fearfully taking a look around and confirming he was still alone. He was and for a moment he stared at the display, indecision pulling at him, before he shook his head.

He had made his resolution.

One anchor had been found, uprooted and was now carried around. He couldn't see any use with it, but meddling with the anchors was sure to enrage His Majesty. It would serve him right.

He only hoped His Majesty had no particular interest in that one for a long time, because otherwise his end was going to come sooner than the one week he thought it to be.

* * *

><p>Mimi sighed heavily.<p>

In peace times the digital world was a heaven to hang out in. Everything free and natural and beautiful. The last peaceful few years had made her forget what a _chore_ being a Digidestined was. No food, no water, the clothes on her back, no help, no advise, and this time not even anyone -except Palmon, but she didn't count because digital world without Palmon was not going to happen ever; anyway just impossible- of her friends. Or any particular direction or goal that had to work towards, walk miles for nothing than some vague overriding determination of 'get-rid-of-the-evil'.

It was _horrible_.

Her bag was heavy too, filled with that stupid cube, heavy thing that it was. Why had she decided to take it along again? She couldn't even say. Especially since she was so suspicious of the thing she hadn't even dared to touch it.

But well, there had to be a reason her digivice had pointed it out to her.

Didn't stop her from complaining her mouth dry to Palmon, though.

* * *

><p>Agnimon was breathing heavily, hands on his knees.<p>

It was over, finally.

Blood rushing in his ears, he glanced around.

For all that he had not wanted to burn the forest down, he hand not managed to avoid damage entirely. Even now there were still flames licking at the remains of once blooming trees that Agnimon had to _will_ to disappear and even that small bit of control cost him more effort than he cared to admit and with a defeated grunt he let his legs fold away from under him. The ground was soft, covered with sheens of ash and at his abrupt moment the light particles were disturbed, taking flight into the air, only adding and mixing into those that had never set to the earth in the first place. And weren't going to any time soon. Everything was still too hot; the ground, Agnimon, the air itself to allow peaceful settling.

A comparably cold breeze skittered through the forest, bring fresh and clean air into the blackened, still heated clearing that was the result of Agnimon's battle.

Between the gray and black earth, the only bright spots of color were the remains of the Dokugumon. About a dozen digi-eggs, just rolling around.

Agnimon only felt a spark of guilt.

Not regretting killing them all didn't mean he didn't regret he had needed to so in the first place.

There might even have been partner digimon among those. They wouldn't have been able to say anything or resist control or even show Agnimon they had a partner worrying for them.

Still, it couldn't be helped and that was that. Nothing more to say about it.

Licking his own blood from his lips, Agnimon took the reminder and heaved himself back to his feet. He hadn't come out of the fight without a scratch and a scratch against poison digimon usually translated directly towards being poisoned. He didn't feel any effects yet beyond it eating away at his skin and he was literally burning the wound, which might do something about the venom. In case it didn't, he had his body temperature raised in hoped of burning anything that wasn't supposed to be in his blood stream. If that didn't work...well. Then there was nothing Agnimon could do about it.

His arms were still heavy and his knuckles ached quite a bit as he stretched his arms over his head, but on the same note, he was still in evolution. There was no clear line, no difference anymore between Takuya and Agnimon. Nothing that went beyond physical appearance. Any mental differences were just a cause that _happened_ with evolution. In his core, Agnimon was now one being.

And that had one giant flaw. Being tired did no longer mean devolving, a finishing hit no longer meant devolving. Loss of Spirits meant loss of life, no second chances attached.

_Well,_ he thought,_ it wasn't like fighting for my life is anything new_. It wasn't like he had fought with the expectation of second chances anyway. Especially in the beginning.

Devolving on the other hand probably would save him energy, though, and do some healing. Just like with every other digimon. Better do-

Sharp whistling of the air reached Agnimon and he threw himself forward, rolling.

Something cut through the air just behind him and he sensed wind bristle through his hair. Agnimon came up on his knees, arms crossed defensively in front of him. What he saw was among the last things he wanted to see.

"There you are, little pet," Phelsemon said, leering, from the shadows of the trees.

It wasn't alone either. Like a boomerang, a wooden cross turned in the air, disappearing in the trees for a short moment before it emerged again, this time in the hands of its wielder. A child with wooden features, a very pointed nose; Pinocchimon.

Leaves rustled in the wind, but it was not enough to hide the clicking of sharp yaws. A noise that Agnimon had just finally managed to get rid of.

Damn it.

Still..."Phelesmon," sneered Agnimon back. "So desperate to report back with failure again?" Pre-battle banter could be seen as standard. It had a practical use in testing out the opponent's temperament, purpose, attitude and then some. Agnimon right now bought time with it. "How often will you be allowed to return empty handed before death comes to knock?" Killing incompetent subordinates was standard for evil digimon as well, though Agnimon had only taken a stab in the dark since he really didn't know anything about the enemy's upper hierarchy.

The darkening of Phelesmon's expression though confirmed that he wasn't that far off the mark. Good to know, the idiot.

"You will bring me more prestige than you can imagine, human," the digimon hissed, threatening. "Soon you are going to be little more than a stepping stone. His Majesty- "also good to know-"will use you and there will be nothing left of you; nothing that will not serve the Lord."

Agnimon, deceptively slowly raising to his full height, tossed the digimon a coldly arrogant look. "I do not serve anyone I do not approve off. Some bastard who voluntary endures the presence of a clown like you will not gain my respect in a thousand years." His mind was racing with strategies even as he spoke. Pinocchimon, being a wood-type had the battleground advantage, but with a body of that material, just one hit from Agnimon's fire would be enough. A setting the ground flame would also keep the digimon out of any conflict. Phelesmon as a dark type was more neutral- "It is not in my _nature_. Fool."

Apparently Phelesmon wasn't ignorant about their respective element's characteristics. It smiled coldly. "Fire is so very arrogant. How very hypocritical for a wanna be _savior_," it mocked,"like you."

Arrogance. Well yes, Agnimon could not deny that. Or rather he couldn't have denied that had this been said at their last meeting. Now it was a different thing, at least some, because Takuya was not arrogant. Takuya did not look down on beings that did not share their, fire's, straight determination. Thus, Agnimon no longer did either; he reserved judgment till after first impressions now. Which was still arrogance, but not the kind Phelesmon expected. But Phelesmon did not need to know that. "It is not arrogance if it is true," he said instead. "Because so many of your little servants are still alive, right?"

Agnimon swung a hand at the burned clearing, indicating the dozen or so eggs. "I dare say," he grinned, "this does not speak well for your chances either." Pinocchimon was of a higher evolution that Phelesmon, technically of a higher evolution than Agnimon as well, but that counted little for both of them. Phelesmon clearly had the power between the two of them, while levels were not of much importance to Agnimon. To Agimon much more than levels, strategies, advantages, experience, intelligence and will counted.

Being controlled, Agnimon rather suspected all of the above were not present in Pinocchimon. How very luck. And how very stupid of Phelesmon.

So stupid inf act, that Agnimon did not see a reason for some more spider and wood digimon to come along...If Agnimon decided to be less careful with the surrounding, they were little more than dead-weight. Phelsemon should have brought water types...Something that was not above Phelesmon's intelligence level...

Phelsemon's lips curled in a smirk and Agnimon got a sinking feeling in his stomach. "We shall see about that, won't we, pet. After all, you don't look so good." Tired, poisoned, wounded.

Agnimon swallowed, but he forced a grin on his face. Intimidation was always good."Yes we will."

The muscles in his fists twitched and Agnimon shot forward. He had fire sparking from his armor, from his fist, coating his entire body in a sheen. Phelesmon dodged, skipping to the side and taking cover in the shadows of the trees easily. Pinocchimon was more careful, but it too was far out of Agnimon's reach.

But he hadn't aimed at them in the first place. Shooting past both of them, he didn't stop his momentum even as he pushed down on the fire. Phelesmon and Pinocchimon hadn't been his goal.

They were behind him now and Agnimon used the precious few moments before they realized his feint to search the trees, the shadows, behind green leaves. His eyes darted around, quickly the scenery blurring for any traces of red and purple.

Not there.

The seed of apprehension grow a bit more, Agnimon came to a stop. His opponents were Phelesmon and Pinocchimon alone? Then had he imagined, his memory playing tricks on him, the cold _click-click-click_ of fangs?

Maybe, maybe not. It rather looked like it and Agnimon put everything else from his mind as he cartwheeled to the side, avoiding the red blur of a whip he was far too familiar with. But this time it was not going to be Agnimon's blood straining it, nor was he going to be _helpless_ against it. Just the recollection made him grit his teeth however and fire burned with new strength through him.

Suddenly this fight was no longer unwelcome. Had he not wanted to reencounter Phelemon again? Had he not wanted to make it pay? Now he had a chance for it. And it was an enemy he would not have to regret slaying.

He snapped his right arm back, pushing heat out of his body before his anger devoured his insides and bent his knees.

Jumping, Agnimon felt the wooden cross of Pinocchimon fly under him, but he paid it no mind, instead focusing on the red snake-like weapon rushing towards him. Unable to move out of the way in mid air, Agnimon blocked the strike with his left arm. It slung and twisted around the limp, squeezing painfully around the armguard and making it dig into the flesh underneath. Agnimon snarled, grasping the cord even as it _pulled_ and threw him into a tree. There was blood dripping form his lips, but Agnimon hardly noticed as he crashed into the hard ground, disoriented. He wasn't letting go.

Something hit him in the head, but again, he ignored it, his anger, blind fury, bloodlust, his _emotion_ pushing it all from his mind in his effort _not to let go_. He got up, struggling to stay even on all fours, but he had the red thing in his sight and, with all his focus directed at it, he fisted the line, not caring how energy was oozing of it and eating into his hands. Oh no, Agnimon did not care about that. He cared about this being a line connecting two beings and the one weak point that always came with it.

It was Agnimon's turn, and he hauled, jerking at the thing and feeling the weight and resistance behind it before it finally surrendered to Agnimon's force.

A snarl wanted to rip from his throat, but didn't make it past his lips, his body not capable of the sound even as he threw himself with reckless abandon at the black enemy he had thrown, just like it had thrown him, into a now broken tree.

The emotions curling through him were vicious and powerful and leaked from him in solid burning form. It was the most dangerous thing about Fire; flames would not stop, never stop once they had been set. This was no different.

Phelesmon saw him coming and was moving, its arm jerked sharply and something red flashed in Agnimon's sight, but the only thing that mattered to Agnimon was his fire-bleeding fist hit the target and dug into a blackish shoulder. It dug in deep, crushing bones and ripping flesh and a wailing screech of pain ripped from his adversity.

Not a second later Agnimon's stomach convulsed and liquid bubbled up his throat, breaking past his lips and flying through the air. Stray drops landed all over Phelesmon, painting its black skin slick with blood. With Agnimon's blood.

Only then did Agnimon notice the pain ripping into his body.

Blood and acid on his lips, Agnimon spat it out even as he quickly moved for distance.

That proved to be a mistake, when the agony multiplied tenfold and pushed past his anger into overwhelming him. With a slick sound, Phelesmon's trident dislodge from his body. Blood splattered on green grass. Agnimon staggered, breath coming in flat puffs. _Whip to trident. Trident to Whip. Stupid. To forget that._

Agnimon had a hole in his side, but Phelesmon had a hole in his shoulder; a hole that was still burning.

A wry smirk tugged at his lips despite the black dots invading his vision. "Don't look so good," Agnimon taunted breathlessly. "Who is going...to turn into a stepping...stone for who...?"

Phelesmon pain and rage twisted expression twisted further into a barely recognizable grimace. "Scum!" It spat, voice pitched too high to convey all the loathing it felt. It seemed to be in a lot of pain. Agnimon had heard that burn wounds were among the most painful there were.

Trident to whip. Agnimon leaned to the side, avoiding the lash, but his body gave out and the tumbled, pushing with his hands against the ground to get back up right. More blood splattered on the ground. Agnimon's.

Agnimon's blood. Victory.

Sensing another attack incoming, he let himself fall. Gravity's pull was rough but enough and lying flat on his stomach, unable move more and with Phelesmon still standing and attacking Agnimon felt time slow. Almost sluggishly he saw Phelsemon raise its right arm even as its left counterpart was immobile and burning to ash, only just still staying attached to the body. Agnimon brought up his own hands in front of him, struggling to even twitch a finger, but looking up in the black face fire's managed to spark through his gauntlets and Agnimon's fire of emotions burned with hate. "Fire Darts," he breathed viciously and with a flicks of his wrists sparks, small and weak, flew at Phelesmon.

The fool did not dodge. Or maybe couldn't dodge.

Agnimon had heard that burning alive was one of the most painful deaths there were.

He saw his little flames make contact, saw how some died in midair, being too weak, saw how some didn't have the energy to to burn the skin they touched, saw how some came in contact with the blood Agnimon had spit all over Phelesmon. Saw how the liquid caught fire, exploding almost. Saw how fueled by his blood the flames got stronger, more aggressive, eating into the flesh. He saw how Phelesmon's dark face paled first in realization then in more and more panic until the digimon struggled with all its might. Saw how it was all in vain.

Then the screaming started.

High pitched, panicky, riddled with bits of words and pleas of help, until even that all faded away into sounds of agony.

Agnimon would not know how painful it was to burn to death.

So he had no pity, no sympathy, would not even aid in a fast death if he could.

It went beyond Agnimon's imagination, the pain of heat and flames. He could not see how even the littlest of orange flames could hurt. To die from contact with it was, in the depth of his mind , absurd. He would not even believe it possible would he not so frequently kill with it.

Agnimon could not understand the pain involved in burning to death. He viewed it with detached understanding even now, even as his own body underwent an unpleasant change from Agnimon to a weaker being.

By the time Phelesmon had stopped struggling and the air was stinking of burned flesh it was Flamon who lay wounded and unmoving on the ground. It was Flamon who raised a tired, brown hand to collect and clean the data streaming up from the body. It were Flamon's flames that purified it and set the data back to zero.

It was Flamon who whirled around when a cold voice spoke.

"That is nice. Incompetents need to be disposed of after all."

Pinocchimon stood between the trees, half hidden by shadows but visible enough to see the wicked smile of delight on his face.

Flamon had forgotten him. Or rather, he had assumed Pinocchimon had retreated or caught fire. He had dismissed Pinocchimon's presence in any case. Another mistake on his part.

Flamon eyed Pinocchimon wearily. There were very few things that Pinocchimon, high evolution it might be could do to Flamon, no matter how weakened he was. With an entire body made up of wood, Pinocchimon was in mortal danger just being near the Spirit of Fire.

He didn't let his guard down, having had enough wrong assumptions -like Pinocchimon being controlled- and mistakes today, and took a careful step back. The one little step was difficult; his body was too heavy, too weary and even his mind was feeling numb, exhausted.

Pinocchimon's eyes were unnervingly sharp and his gaze skewed, not missing a single move. He grinned. Then he grinned wider and finally he laughed, the cackles mixing with the rushing of leaves and resounding eerily.

And the black eyes never left Flamon -else he would have long since ran; who was stupid enough to fight if he didn't have to?

"I'm taking you with me," Pinnochimon stated finally, once he had stopped laughing and the confidence in that statement was only one more thing that was hair-rising about him. The wood digimon let a hand disappear inside his robes, smiling cheerily.

Flamon once more, pressing down on the -now only; devolving had its uses- deep and bleeding gash in his side, stomped down on the instinct to run. He was here as a decoy. Had to do that job well. Once, just once, his eyes flickered in the direction of the others; Piyomon and Sora. He doubted he had the energy to make it further than a few damn steps anyway.

Quickly his eyes settled on Pinocchimon again, watching with growing apprehension and heavy mind as he pulled out a small bottle. It was see-through and crystalline, glittering in with specks of light in a direct contrast to the darkness contained within it.

Flamon shuddered, Pinocchimon's grin widened.

"Remember this?" He asked, so incredibly happy as if Christmas had come early. "That stupid clown"-Phelesmon-"almost got you with it once."

Flamon remembered, or maybe he didn't but, he didn't need to either, because as Pinocchimon turned the bottle on head and let the liquid drift out, he knew all he needed to know about it. In rapid succession thoughts crossed his mind. The first was: T_hat's dangerous._ The second, much more intent was: _I can't touch that. _The third, the final though was: _Or I'm definitely finished._

"And don't worry about your friends," the other digimon beamed, "I'm sure digimon I sent killed them already."

* * *

><p>This is the chapter for November. Please tell me if you liked it.<p>

The poll gave the result of monthly updates (much to my surprise), so I'll stay with my current schedule.

TBC.


	36. Digital World: Dark Evolution VI

Archnemon=Arukenimon

* * *

><p>Chapter 35: Digital World: Dark Evolution VI<p>

* * *

><p>Piyomon hovered around Sora nervously. Once again she brushed the tip of a wing over her partner's face, worried.<p>

Piyomon didn't know all that much about humans and their needs, but Sora was red in a way that she usually wasn't. Still, she calmed herself with the thought that Takuya had said Sora would get better and he would know such things.

...or actually, would he? His smell -not that Piymon was that good at smelling; but some things, digimon just _knew_- was more digimon now than ever. So what would he know about treating a human? And, more importantly, Piyomon's partner? However on the other hand Piyomon didn't exactly know anything else to do either.

Thinking about him, Piyomon listened to the forest. Some time ago, there had been noise of a fight and she had smelled a scary amount of smoke in the air, however it had faded and she knew the fighting had been moved out of her range. The wind had shifted too, blowing in the wrong direction to tell Piyomon anything.

Sora and her were all alone now, though, as Takuya had done that part well, drawing all the digimon alway from them. Some part of Piyomon guessed it would be best to evolve and carry Sora away from here now, not knowing how long their solitude would last with their location already discovered. Takuya had said something about that as well, about meeting up somewhere else.

Piyomon knew it would be best to move too, but if it was best for Sora to rest and not be disturbed, then Piyomon thought it couldn't be that bad to wait a bit longer. As long as possible.

Not even wanting to wake Sora, Piyomon wasn't sure she actually could do so either, because usually Sora would have woken up from Piyomon tickling her face with feathers.

This right now, this red face, sweating, and sleeping during the day, not waking up, not mumbling, not tossing around in her sleep, was not like Sora. It made Piyomon feel very, very helpless and chilly in her bones.

Piyomon breathed fire; she should not feel cold.

But she couldn't help it when she thought of how Sora should be sitting next to her under this tree and chatting and smiling and laughing.

Piyomon was worried, so much that she actually preferred fighting -with Sora by her side- to...this.

This...Piyomon felt tears prickling at her eyes. This was so much worse than fighting.

Sora was in pain all alone.

Terribly worried, anxious, fretting and building up nervous energy that wouldn't help her make Sora better, Piyomon didn't think nicely towards the presences coming closer. Not at all. Still far away, they were, only at the rim of her perception, but Piyomon rarely felt more ready to fight.

Her feathers rustled as she gathered energy for an evolution without Sora's aid. The digivice started glowing nonetheless.

As Piyomon's body changed and rebuild into a greater, more powerful form, her mind changed along with it. Great emotionality was edited into a drive to protect and awareness was focused towards how to that. Piyomon's thoughts changed into Birdramon's, completing the transformation.

With the high given to her by her new body and one powerful swing of her wings, she was above the tree-line. Her sharp eyes enabled her to catch bodies crawling under the cover of leaves and identify the figures.

Spiders.

Dokugumon.

She spared half a thought to wonder if Takuya's distraction had failed or if this were others; how he was fearing. But that was the only thought she spared him before her programming to protect Sora overtook her. Battering her wings a few times, she gained height. Then, glancing once more at Sora, she angled her wings in preparation. Opening her jaw, she let out a call of battle.

Trying to sway it her favor, Birdramon opened the fight.

In a sharp dive, her body scratched against the tree tops as her hard, bony claws dug underneath the cover of leaves. She carved through the air, through twigs and logy, but only gazed a couple of bodies. She hadn't expected much better, but it was still a disappointment. The trees were in the way, highlighting what she already knew; Bridramon was too big for a fight in narrow territory like a forest. She was only making herself a target by drifting over the trees, which also happened to be the perfect and natural hiding places of her foes. Most importantly, however, Sora was too far away for her peace of mind. Even if it was to draw the fight away from her.

Her battle-turned mind decided after two failed trial runs against keeping to the strategy. She had to avoid attacks now too, and it was just too risky and ineffective. The next best option she came up with was far from ideal too, but she pushed down on a swell of guilt and hesitation.

Birdramon changed course quickly, anxious as she returned to Sora's side and her absence from her partner was suddenly pushed to the forefront of her mind. Sora hadn't been in danger, she told herself. She had stayed close to Sora, always within close sight, attacking the enemy and only gone for a minute; not long enough for the Dokugumon to get to Sora. And Birdramon had held their attention anyway. No danger to Sora. All this flashed through her mind in the span of a second.

In that one second of distraction, a threat shot up in front of her with no warning. Birdramon threw her weight to the side, but her fiery wing gazed it, burning through it, however she felt the contact eat into her flaming feathers to the skin beneath. A hiss escaped her as she beat her wings, gaining a bit more distance, again within the span of a second, before she once more set into a dive, her claws extend like a hawk picking its prey.

Wind caught in her feathers, slowing her down and with as much care as she could, she curled her claws around her partner's fragile body.

Birdramon wished she didn't have to do this, but the ground wasn't save and in Birdrmon's mind it would always be life before comfort. Sora couldn't heal from being sick if she was in danger.

The ground, the earth wasn't save, so Birdramon would retreat to the sky.

They couldn't catch her there, they couldn't attack her there, they _couldn't harm Sora_ if she was out of their reach.

Though Birdramon couldn't counter attack either -not without setting the forest on fire-, but it was a small price to pay. With powerful beats of her wings she even lost her opponents from sight as she ascended; another price she was willing to pay.

It wasn't right, she thought guiltily, leaving Takuya behind. However Birdramon had to protect Sora and Takuya was able to take care of himself. Still, Birdramon couldn't help him and she regretted that, seeing a dot of grayness, ashes, in the green sea far beneath her, his location shoved in her face.

A faint noise caught her ear and all thoughts of Takuya were pushed from her mind.

Sora was waking up. A stab of worry had her wondering if that was good. Shouldn't she be resting?

"Mmm," moaned Birdramon's partner faintly, trying to move. When she couldn't Sora's eyes flew open, widening with panic.

"Sora!" Birdramon exclaimed.

Sora coughed, at her voice she stopping to struggle and she glanced up at Birdramon. Birdramon couldn't describe the relief taking hold of her. It was like the world was lifted of her shoulders. Given taht Birdramon was carring Sora with her claws while flying, it was a bit difficult seeing the girl, but Birdramon craned her neck not caring about the difficulty. She would even smile if she could. Sora.

"Wha..."stuttered Sora, before once again convulsing with coughs -an invisible weight crushed down on Birdramon again. "What's going on? Wh-Where are we?" The girl's voice was full of fear and panic and Birdramon felt terrible even before she reluctantly started to explain.

As Birdramon circled in the air, talking, Sora twisted till she was more comfortably held by Birdramon's claws, waving Birdramon's concerns for her safety aside, saying she was feeling fine. Birdramon didn't know better, so she couldn't protest, but she had the suspicion that Sora wasn't feeling as healthy as she claimed. Still, she pushed her worry aside when Sora asked where Takuya was- a glossed over topic.

Birdramon squirmed as much as she was able to while flying.

Predictably Sora caught on to her hesitation fast. Her eyes got suspicious, and Birdramon felt even worse than before. But she _didn't _regret it, even as her conscience, strengthened by Sora's disapproval, screamed at her. Protecting Sora was more important, always, and she had known from the very beginning that Sora wouldn't like what Birdramon had elected to do. Or rather not do - helping Takuya.

"Where is he, Birdramon?" Her partner asked again, and Birdramon surrendered to the mildly stern tone faster than melting ice.

"You were sick...and he offered to distract the digimon," Birdramon confessed hesitantly and guiltily, "I don't know..."

Sora drew her head back as if slapped, her flushed face paling. "And you just left him?" She demanded. Her eyes narrowed in anger; anger directed at Birdramon and it hurt more than any attack ever could, but she still didn't regret it. She couldn't just not worry about Sora. She couldn't just not try her best to protect her. Even if that made Sora angry at Birdramon. Wishing that Sora would understand that, she was at the same time glad Sora didn't.

Sora loved Birdramon very much, so if she knew of Birdramon's conflict she'd be hurting too, trying to help Birdramon even as her heart was pulled in a different direction. Sora was so kind; she wanted to help everyone, but she loved Birdramon and she'd try everything to keep Birdramon from hurting even if that hurt her for being unable to help others. And then she wouldn't be Sora anymore.

Just that thought felt like someone squeezed Birdramon's heart in a fist, making her want to cry.

"We are looking for him," Sora announced determinately.

Birdramon didn't protest, relieved almost.

Flying lower towards the danger wasn't what Birdamon wanted, but Sora was awake and alive and Birdramon wasn't alone anymore and Sora surely knew what best to do. She always did know what to do better than Birdramon, since Birdramon wasn't good at prioritizing and strategy - beyond protecting Sora, that was.

As Birdramon descended, Sora patted herself down as best as she could, being held in a difficult position. She swallowed. "...I don't have my digvice, Birdramon..."

Birdramon remembered; having been focused only on getting Sora away, the digivice had been forgotten. "I'm going to land."

Nodding, Sora placed a hand reassuringly on Birdramon's claw. It made Birdramon worry more and at the same time took away some of her anxiety. With Sora, Birdramon could do everything. For Sora she would do anything; protecting her and the digital world.

Soon individual trees became distinct again and Birdramon's gaze drifted over it, looking and searching for digimon. She didn't see any, but didn't trust it. A few miles away trees crashed, drawing Birdramon's attention for a moment before it came clear that she couldn't see anything helpful from the distance. But at least they knew in which direction they needed to look. Birdramon told Sora about it and while her partner bit her lip in concern, hestiant, loath to let her friend fend for himself, she needed the digivice. Especially if Takuya was still fighting now. How long has it been since they separated? An hour? More?

"I think I see our stuff," Sora said, pointing.

There were some claw marks in the ground from where Birdramon had picked Sora up and the tree she had been resting under was broken almost in half. Its roots were digging out of the earth from when Birdramon's body had crashed into it at the same time. A couple of backpacks and their content were scattered around it.

Birdramon circled over the clearing, descending, until she opened her claws carefully a few feet above the ground. Sora landed clumsily on all fours with Birdramon setting down behind her. Her eyes flickering about with practice, Sora found her digivice quickly, but instead of leaving immediately, she hurried to gather everything within arm's reach and stuffed it into a bag -the pots were all broken, the pinkish jelly splattered, to no one's regret- as Birdramon's kept alert eyes on the surroundings.

Birdramon was still almost too late.

She hadn't seen it. She hadn't seen it because she hadn't expected it. Birdramon had only thought about the digimon she had had a short skirmish with and seen earlier. She had expected digimon at least twice as big as Sora and much bulkier.

Archnemon in human form wasn't that much different from Sora.

Small.

Birdramon hadn't seen how she had been hiding, waiting for her prey to walk right into her trap, like the hunter she was. In the wreckage and broken logs, covered by leaves and twigs and so very close, Archnemon had hid, only now moving to attack with eyes set on Sora.

Birdramon screeched, in fear and terror, moving without a second thought in the only way she could. To protect.

Sora jumped on the spot, her head colliding with the warm body of Birdramon leaning over her. The next scream was from Sora when she noticed the greenish mist being blown in her partner's face -fully aware that it had been aimed at her. Shielding Sora with her body from a poisonous attack, Birdramon took the full blow of it into her face.

Sora screamed her partner's name, her heart beating in her ears, hurting with every beat as Birdramon's body started to convulse. Birdramon hacked, shuddering and only just managing to tumble to the side instead of collapsing right on top of Sora. "Birdramon!" She yelled again, scrambling to her feet and almost stumbling over her feet in an effort to reach her partner's side, her face. Only at the rim of her mind she was aware that she turned her back to the enemy. She couldn't even bring herself to care.

_Birdramon!_

Birdamon's eyes were wide, unnaturally so and her entire body shook with hawing breath. She was in pain, obviously so, and Sora's mind blanked with fear and panic. It sounded terrible, so horrible, it hurt to listen. Sora didn't know what to do. there wasn't anything she _could_ do.

Her heart clenched to a tight knot and she started feeling lightheaded as her eyes landed on her partner's wound.

It wasn't very obvious damage, Birdramon's beak and face being made of hard bone, but that only made it all the worse. The digimon's usually smooth and even jaw was uneven and riddled with craters.. But the worst thing, the worst thing Sora saw through swimming eyes was the clear trail the poison -no, _acid_!- had left behind at Birdramon's nostril. Rims eaten away, a clear track of liquid having eaten into the bony skin.

Desperation , growing with every strained breath of her giant bird, strangled Sora at the throat.

_Birdramon. _

_She couldn't lose Birdramon!_

_Not Birdramon!_

_This wasn't so bad. _

_This couldn't be so bad. _

_They had been through worse!_

_Birdramon had only protected her. _

_There was no way she wasn't going to be fine. _

The denials racing through her head refused to let her even consider what it meant that the worst damage of poison fumes -acid mist, not solid; like air- was centered around a part of her partner's vital organ. Just thinking about it was beyond her comprehension as every part of her being was focused around her precious companion. Everythign else ceased to exist.

She didn't notice the Archnemon behind her climbing out of a hiding spot and changing from, she didn't notice a dozen of Dokugumon emerge from the shadows and she definitely didn't notice how they circled around her, about to pounce.

Even as her body was out of her control and on instinct trying to clear itself from the danger that had infiltrated her body and was attacking her from the inside, at the verge of passing out, Birdramon _did_ notice, her unfocused eyes catching on to the threat sneaking up on her partner. But her body didn't cooperate. She couldn't warn Sora!

That _couldn't_ be.

Birdramon saw danger and she had to protect Sora from it. She had to protect Sora and she had to move. Sora was so worried about her. Sora needed her. Sora didn't see the danger. Birdramon _needed to protect Sora. _

Sora loved Birdarmon so much and Birdramon _wanted _to be there for Sora.

Even of all the people and digimon Birdramon had ever met, Sora was unique. Special. And Birdramon was chosen to protect her. Sora was so kind, so nice to everyone, she loved so freely, not only Birdramon, she cared so deeply for people she never met.

As long as she still had breath in her, how could she possibly fail to protect Sora?

She couldn't. _Never._

Ever.

Behind Sora's tear smeared face, Archnemon, wide mouth poking with fangs, attacked. The hissing and snapping of Dokugumon had never been closer too.

It was now that Sora noticed the danger from the corner of her eye, but instead of running as she should, it was her this time, who tried to shield with her body.

_Birdramon would never allow it._

In response, throughout the whole digital world, from the air, the oceans, the land, a wave gathered within the blink of an eye. It was energy coming together to fulfill its purpose as it poured into a small rectangular device formed by love.

Deep below the ground, an ancient orb pulsed and resonated and a fading presence was strengthened and carried along that very wave, marking a blank slate in its own form as it arrived.

Sora's digivice, forgotten, exploded in a show of crimson brighter than it had ever done before.

"_Birdramon..."_

Pure and bright energy filled her body, tinting her in a faint glow of red and carrying an intensity that swallowed her, threatened to drown and suffocate her very being with its power.

But Sora never faded from her mind, her smiling, laughing, living, happy face imprinted in a stark contrast to the paleness, fear, determination and pain of the last expression the digimon had seen. Sora. Sora. Sora. The thought of Sora was what kept her from losing herself. It anchored her as power overwhelmed and entered deep inside her, into her very core.

"_...warp evolution..."_

Data was broken apart, reconfigured and build upon, fit together in a being that was no longer the same. In sync, bones grew, were filled, muscle mass was enlarged, multiplied and knit together in a long forgotten pattern. But more than anything, within every bit of her data, something, new, foreign was built in, becoming a part of her. This new _something_ hummed, a strange sensation and the melody that might only be part of her imagination quickly changed into something familiar, achingly so, until even that faded, settling with the light of evolution, becoming simply part of her as if it has always been there before.

As if it had always been there...from the edge of her being...

"_..."_

The being formerly known as Birdramon emerged from the burst of evolution with a powerful swing of her wings, sending shaking tress and blowing earth of the ground. Her feathers, warm, blood red, light, ready to spark into a bright flame at the smallest contact of dust, remained glowing with a reddish tinge that was not an effect of her evolution.

She beat more wings, powerful claws dug into the earth, feeling as if the world itself was nothing beneath her power.

Earth, water, wind, lighting; nothing posed a threat to her might, not even the great Qinglongmon. Power poured from every ounce of her body, even her breath having more of it than most digimon reached within their lives. If she so willed it, the world would burn to ashes.

Yet, as a great red eye fell on the forms gathered in the shadow of her being, she knew she didn't desire any such thing.

Sora lay on the ground, her face pale, dirt sticking to the wet lines of tears on her cheeks, eyes closed, but expression twisted in pain even in unconsciousness.

Vermin, spiders – Archnemon and her Dokugumon pets stared up at her, not even their caged and blanked minds able to counter the instinctive terror her new form instilled in them. Only a glance form her had them screeching high pitched in fear as they fled blindly into the forest. She squashed one with her tail almost absently.

How _dare _they?

How dare they_ hurt_ her Sora?

Worms, ants, in face of her power dared to harm her partner.

With her targets scatted and running -but not hidden, not even from her eyes-, she didn't have a single target for the energy building up aggressively inside her and instead she threw her head back, letting out a cry.

It vibrated, grinding even against her own bones, carrying far and it was laden with her power, her anger, her rage. Sometimes harmless, it phased through leaves, trees, the earth, yet as it caught up to the digimon fleeing for their lives from her, it pressed down on them. The spider digimon let out incomprehensible noises of pain before their minds were overwhelmed, crushed. Everything inside them was erased, blunted and pushed out, not even their own elements retraining a hold over them. They collapsed on the spot.

Yet, the wave of her call traveled farther still, engulfing a pair of very different digimon. It passed through one of it -the tired, struggling, wounded and defeated one- with no effect other than to make him startle and shudder, while the other, much more malicious in thought, lost the one thing that gave it power over the other. Nothing but a toy, a black sphere, empty of energy and waiting to be filled, evaporated out of existence, its impure nature unable to withstand the cleansing.

The cry carried farther still, through empty land and abandoned forest until it eventually faded more and more, dispersing into the air.

The originator herself was unable to endure for a single second after she caused it, damage catching up with her as her next breath came with countless stabs of pain. Collapsing, the great form previously towering over trees by far, glowed shortly as it melted down. In its wake was left Pyokomon, who struggled fruitlessly to take a single step towards her partner.

Sora was not moving other than the flat moving of her chest.

Tears stung in Pyokomon's eyes, seeping into the earth as they rolled down her small body. She sniffed, immobilized and unable to get closer to Sora despite wishing for nothing else in her final moments.

_Final moments. _

The knowledge clawed with cold certainty at Pyomon's heart. Sora. _Sora._

Pyokomon had protected Sora. Did what she had to do, what she was made to do.

Was it so bad to wish nothing but to forever be able to do the same? She wanted to protect Sora more. Wanted to be by her side, watch over her, make her laugh.

Wanted to be needed.

By Sora.

_She_ wanted that.

She wanted that for herself, for herself alone. Didn't want to share.

Sora would be save, even when Pyokomon was gone.

There would be someone else to take Pyokomon's place.

Some other Piyomon would take her place and protect Sora in her stead.

Some other digimon would get to Sora's special smiles and hear her laughter. Some other Piyomon would get baked cake from Sora and some other would get patted to sleep by Sora.

Didn't want that. Didn't want that. _Didn'twantthat-_

Her heart ached and hurt much more than the acid eating away at her lungs like countless needles stabbing her with every breath.

Desperation and finality clashed in the small digimon's body and tears burst forward with a wave of anguished sobs that no one was there to hear.

_Sora._

The forest was still for only a small body in its last moments as she wailed out her grief and sorrow, buried days and futures that she would never get to see and watched her partner, hoping against hope that she would get to look into her eyes one last time and get to be hugged by her one last time.

Before someone else took her place.

* * *

><p>...<p>

...Yeah, um, I am in fact aware that Christmas is a celebration of love and that this chapter is really not fitting for the mood... But I don't really care... However on the other hand, this chapter was devoted to the Chosen(s) of Love. In any case, that is that and this chapter couldn't really be pushed to the back. Depressing as it is, I don't regret it.

Hope you drop me a note of your opinion.

TBC.


	37. Digital World: Dark Evolution VII

Chapter 36: Digital World: Dark Evolution VII

* * *

><p>The beat of dispersing, pure energy washed over Flamon, through him, into every cell and out the other side.<p>

Flamon jumped out of his skin and shuddered, his entire body shaking. Cold sweat ran down his forehead, mixing with the salty substance already covering him head to toe.

Once he was done shuddering in repulsion and actually took a look towards where his enemy was -the last evil-ball had been evaded five seconds ago; usually Flamon didn't even get three- to see how he was swinging his cross around like a remote and to read off that from which direction the flying-prison was going to come next, he was pleasantly surprised to see Pinnochimon ringing from that invasive pure energy more and longer than him and -most importantly- that there was a distinct lack of terror-inducing-balls. Everywhere.

Flamon was very pleased indeed.

He'd take that disgusting sensation of complete foreignness pressing through him -without so much as asking at that- and the following reject-reaction over evil-dodge-ball-with-sadistic-digimon any day.

The few seconds it took to notice that and be_ sure_ of it -god knows, he had had enough wrong assumptions just within the last hour- turned the battle between wood-type Pinnochimon and Spirit of Fire Flamon, on its head.

On the spot Flamon abandoned all intention of fleeing and straightened from his tense half crouch.

Pinnochimon, suddenly very tense and very quiet, looked at Flamon, tilting his head with hollow sounding creaks.

Flamon smirked, flickering up a hand and holding a nice, little flame in his palm.

Pinocchimon's jaw clattered.

Flamon _glared_ at Pinocchimon.

Pinnocchimon swallowed before breaking out in nervous laughter. "Hihihi...that was...fun." Obviously the first thing coming to mind. Loose babbling. "...bu-bu-but...-rea-really...hehe..." The digimon gulped once, eyes nailed at the orange flame, not even seeing the glint in Flamon's eyes. "I...I-I reallyneedtogonowbye!" Pinocchimon spun on his heel and ran as if the devil himself was on his heels.

Suppressing a grin, Flamon called after it, making sure to insert a whole lot of righteous satisfaction into his voice. "I'm not letting you escape, you damn puppet! I'm going to burn you to ashes! And I'm going to make it painful!" Despite actually having no intention to do so. He wasn't stupid after all.

Pinocchimon disappeared first from sight, then from his senses, but only a minute after that, Flamon extinguished his little flame, snorting. Coward.

Flamon had little respect for anyone who had not even the intention to face something slightly scary. But on the other hand, he was also not ruthless and hunting down some fleeing enemy who was clearly scared for his life was not something he'd ever do if it could be avoided.

Grunting, he dropped gracelessly to the ground, his entire body trembling with exhaustion and strain. Only half aware, he triggered a slide evolution.

As Takuya emerged from the stream of data, he felt the need to amend the previous thought a bit more truthfully and less prideful than Flamon's mentality. It wasn't like the let Pinocchimon go out of the goodness of his heart; after all the wooden puppet had been hunting him out of his own free will, had only minutes before being playing with him in a sadistic and borderline torturing -mentally definitely, physically just about; Takuya was ready to drop dead now- version of cat and mouse, while laughing.

Refelxively, Takuya scowled into the earth.

He let the evil digimon go because he was in _no_ condition to go hunting.

Being entirely truthful, he had only bluffed his way to a tie.

_I want my bed_, he though tiredly.

Takuya felt awful; in a way that he wasn't sure he ever felt before.

That said a lot he imagined, when he was -used to be- an unmotivated high school student on one side and had some millennia of boredom and something before that that he couldn't quite recall just now to use as reference on the other.

First-time-ever kind of awful.

And really, it was enough and he was _this_ close to just passing out right then and there, but he _couldn't_.

In the back of his mind he had not forgotten the energy wave and something like that didn't just happen. Together with the fact that he had failed first at decoy-role and then let a few digimon -Dokugumon or whatever- get away, past him, to what he protected, when he had had no intention of allowing so was like a persistent nag that wouldn't leave him alone.

Persistent like Koji when he thought Takuya was wrong. Nagging like Zoe when she wanted to be annoying.

And didn't that just reanimate him in a whole different way? What right had Takuya to complain about being _tired_ or _sore, _when his friends were so much worse off? Takuya was _lucky_.

Lucky beings had no right to slack off.

Also, not to forget, was a slight against his pride and internal sense of honor, which he couldn't just let go, no matter how much he wished to right now. Both, sadly, were a too prominent trait of his element.

Damn!

_...so, that energy wave_, he thought as he pathetically lifted his head and twisted his hands into the earth.

If Takuya knew anything -and he rather thought he did- then that was...

Anyway, whatever mess had happened was on his shoulders.

Takuya may have nothave said so out loud, but he had kind of promised to let nothing get past him.

To himself in any case, and that was what mattered in a promise.

Damn.

He had failed at that, though, so at least he wanted to know what -bad, terrible, horrible, tragic thing- had come from his failure.

Or if by some strike of luck everything turned out for the best and he was just jumping at shadows and energy waves were daily things here and he just didn't know it. Positive thinking.

It was with those dark thoughts in mind that he crawled to all fours and finally made it to his feet. Some other thing he had no recollection of every being so difficult.

Faltering, he leaned against a tree, forcing air into his his body with his will alone.

Tiredness was not something that left more than once before it doubled back stronger than ever and Takuya had already pushed it away during his fight with Phelesmon. The most he managed now was to get a numb mind filled with sluggish thoughts and a body weighting more than lead. And getting heavier with every step.

Fantastic.

He imagined he looked rather like a drunk as he tumbled from tree to tree. He couldn't really appreciate the humor with heavy foreboding that he hoped was only his paranoia pressing down on him, though.

Even with that mental preparation, he was unprepared for the scene that met him when after an eternity he finally reached the clearing.

With his vision fading in and out, from black to gray to nothing, Takuya still couldn't oversee the deep gashes riddling the ground or the askew trees and unearthed roots. The very clearing he had left, but unrecognizable. And even that wasn't enough warning.

Takuya felt his stomach drop through his feet, cold as ice.

Slowly, he managed to get to Sora. Up close, she didn't look dead. Pale overall while feverish, but not dead.

Trying to kneel down, he only managed the movement half way until his legs gave under him and he collapsed, almost on top of the elder girl. His hands were trembling as he put them to her neck where after a frighting second he did find a pulse, though it was a bit weak.

Exhaling a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding, Takuya relaxed. Slightly. But only for a moment before there was a certain lack of Piyomon coming to the forefront of his mind.

But even the fear was np loger enough to prevent him from passing out.

* * *

><p>Takuya did not wake up as quickly as he liked; only in stages.<p>

However random it was, the first thing to return to him was the desire to twitch a finger. Which he managed with some herculean effort.

And he almost regretted it instantly as the air left his lungs in a silent gasp of pain. His _whole body_ _hurt_. From his toenails to his hair, everything ached.

It was almost enough to make him pass right back out.

Almost.

But nothing sent the adrenaline kicking quite as fast as being carried around by strangers.

Or hearing echoes of crying.

On second thought, the echoes weren't just in his head.

Which was about the best thing happening to Takuya as he struggled back to coherency. As if he needed to hear double.

There were murmurs all around him, from different sources. Many pairs of steps, all echoing. The air was dry and comfortably warm.

Fur was rubbing against his cheek, his head felt heavy, something was tickling on the skin of his face. Bugs?

He woke completely up with a jerk.

The momentum cost him his balance, which was apparently vary fragile, and he tumbled to the floor, his body unable to react. It was stone floor. Hard stone. And he hit his head.

Abruptly everything around him stilled. Voices and steps, everything but choked breathing; sobs, strangled, filled with heart breaking pain.

Digimon stood over him, crowding him, and it took him a moment, but he recognized the features. Coronamon, Candlmon, and the one he had just fallen off was a Firamon.

"Avatar-sama?"

Fire Sect.

Just fabulous.

Takuya kept a grimace from showing on his face with supreme effort. A Cronamon helped him up. Takuya twisted his dazed brain for some respectable response. Fruitlessly. Honestly he was past caring, too. "Where am I? What has happened? What are you doing here?"

The digimon, all in all maybe two dozen with varying levels, traded glances. "The Supreme Lord is reborn. We wish to serve and offer our service."

_Uh_, Takuya thought, _what is that supposed to mean?_

Then he caught the reverence with which Piyomon, no Pyokomon, was treated despite the state and appearance she was in.

He did the math. After a second of staring, Takuya's jaw dropped. Then clenched shut with a snap.

Takuya hoped he was jumping to conclusions, but...somehow he couldn't make himself believe it, not with the uncomfortable beat of sheer pure power that had saved his skin, driven Pinnochimon off, purified that energy ball...

That had been helpful. Oh yes, very much.

This here, the way it was going, certainly was not. Nu-huh, no, nada.

Takuya had spent one week in the company of the Sect. More to the point, he had spent one week staging an ethical revolution.

Knowing very well how the Fire Sect worked, he switched gears to a strategic mindset, thoughts racing.

Prioritize.

Priorities straight and work from there. "What is her condition?"

Coronamon waved a paw and the caravan got moving through the cave again. As a Firamon, who carried Sora, passed him, Takuya spared a not insignificant amount of focus to keep once more the heat away from the single human.

Walls were closing in fast. How long could he keep shielding her up? In his condition? Would Sora be allowed to leave again? If not, the entire Sect might turn into an enemy...

Takuya swallowed, his throat dry and closed as he tried to summon a buisness-like mask to his face.

First things first.

First Piyomon. Then Sora. Then Takuya himself.

That was how things were. If his body didn't want to cooperate, he had to beat it with his guts to do as told.

It'd work. Don't mind the pain! Or the exhaustion! Or anything! It wasn't as bad as it felt!

Or so he kept telling himself.

And that was before the feelings set in.

* * *

><p>Takuya sat by and watched.<p>

He was no replacement, of course. Not even vaguely comparing, but it was all he could offer Pyokomon. Instead of Sora. Who was unconscious, leaning against his shoulder, and running a fever. In no condition to provide support to Pyokomon.

Not that he did much either. Besides watching. And listening.

Takuya had made sure to cover Sora's ears. No need for her to let her partner's screams invade her dreams. Sora wouldn't even be here if Takuya didn't need to be in her presence to keep the heat away.

Sora didn't deserve more nightmares than those that she would already get.

Unlike Takuya. He did deserve nightmares.

The feeling of guilt and failure choking him at the throat and the burning of his insides to forge his resolve.

To save this world.

He'd made it his job. Had made it by his orders his friends' job as well. But that had all only been distant and acknowledging. Respectful, maybe of this world and its system.

After all, he did not need a reason to help when he could. Not needing a reason however was very different from having one. Takuya had one now.

Now it was personal. Beyond simple admiration of a world. Now, the people were included.

He now had a personal stake in this world. Through feelings.

Takuya closed his eyes from the happenings in the room.

"_I...I-I do-don't...wanna...di-die."_ Had been the last words Pyokomon had been able to speak. Her eyes had been on Sora.

Takuya was attached.

It had been a startling realization as he had been pushed away to make place for healers and data masters around the small stone table.

The eerie comparison to a human surgery only brought him dread.

Takuya opened his eyes and Kochi's deathly pale form faded to be replaced with reality.

Pyokomon was screaming and it made Takuya's hairs stand on end.

To fight and protect, at times to be violent and unrelenting, to be kind and helpful, to do whatever was called for. It was his purpose, and Takuya, who so acutely remembered drowning in his life, could not return to an existence without purpose. He'd rather die, so much the memory terrified him when he looked back now.

To the Takuya who had been human, his Spirits were his salvation in the same way as Takuya had been salvation to the powerless, helpless, only ever watching remains of AncientGraymon. They had given each other what they needed most. A body to one, meaning to the other.

Was it such a surprise that Takuya had had so little hesitation when it came to making the most important choice of his life?

"Hey," Takuya breathed to one one and nothing as Pyokomon was forcefully broken down into data by a FlaWizarmon. Not in a natural process. Or a painless. "Sora is fine."

Takuya had grown attached to the digimon and the people and the world. The desire to protect was _felt_, now. Not only a decision of the brain.

The other chosen children were friends, now. Real friends and comrades, people to give his life for for other reasons than them only being chosen children.

It was an eye-opener.

Takuya was not heartless, however much he seemed like it sometimes.

And he was forcing himself to watch Pyokomon's rebuilding because of it. Punishment, for his arrogance to think about them in the same distant way he thought about rain drops falling or pieces on a chess board.

Even though he had not consciously being doing that, practical and strategic thinking being part of his warrior nature, it was no excuse. So he watched and waited.

Leaving old, very old and very experienced digimon to delete the poison data parts out of the red data cloud that was Sora's partner.

What these wizards of the Fire Sect were doing here went against all digital nature, disturbing the flow and rebuilding of data, preventing being set back to a blank slate as it was usually the case when digimon died.

Death and rebirth.

Not so now.

Takuya suspected the method they now used to save the little digimon used to be employed in erasing non-fire elements out of digimon living here, but he couldn't bring himself to care about it.

Pyokomon would keep all her memories, all her traits, all her evolution paths. The latter why this was so important to the Sect to even fall back on the power of Zhuqiaomon's Orb of Power to save Pyokomon.

So Takuya watched and waited, with the human partner of the digimon undergoing torturous treatment unconscious leaning against him as he sat with his back to a wall and let the guilt and helplessness and shame of failure into his heart to grow stronger from it.

* * *

><p>Sora was more hysterical with every moment where she failed to wake up from her nightmare.<p>

Her chest was clenching and no matter how much she tried, she could not get air into her body. It escaped her and she wondered if the fires had burned all oxygen from the air.

She welcomed the thought. Maybe when she fainted, she would wake up in her bed and find she only needed to lift her blanket to get air.

Really wake up, then. Not like when she had had come to on a stone bed in Takuya's little house deep under the earth with him sitting on a stone chair, on the side lines, just watching.

She'd wake up then, and digimon that had only hours before screamed for her head would not be kneeling at her feet and the very same Asuramon that had almost signed her death sentence would not be holding an egg up to her with a serene, reverent expression.

Asuramon would not tell her that that egg was Piyomon.

Sora kept waiting to wake up, except it didn't happen.

It escaped her when, but somehow she had gotten close enough to reach out with her hand and-

Her limp was shaking so badly Sora might have believed the earth to be crumbling under her feet, except that didn't happen either.

She wondered how long it was still going to take for the lack of air to claim her. Dizziness made her sway and white noise was rushing in her ears.

Her trembling hand lowered itself and terror and dread wanted to rip out of her throat, but somehow her lips wouldn't part for anything other than strangled attempts at breathing.

She touched the egg that she knew in that very moment to be of her partner. Something in her cracked and she ripped it from Asuramon's rough and brutal hands to cradle it in her arms.

Her legs turned to jelly, she sank to the floor.

Someone was screaming and it was her.

* * *

><p>Slowly, Sora was coming enough out of her daze to do more than just keep her body functioning on automatic. In shock and denial, she was not able to not able to comprehend. It was not much of a surprise. No one would blame her for it.<p>

But now she was trying to get out of it, making a conscious effort to lift her eyes away from the egg in her arms to the digimon kneeling before her.

Again.

Or still.

She wasn't quite sure. Despite not having passed out, the last few hours were a clean blank. That should probably concern her.

It felt a lot like waking up, though, since she had no idea where she was now, how she got there and was at a loss why she was treated like a queen.

Still, not able to bring herself to care much about it, she just went along with it.

If it was dangerous, Takuya would not be doing what he was.

Sora was pretty sure the chair she was sitting on was actually a throne inside the giant temple. Of their holly digimon.

Sora, human, sitting in a throne in a temple of a -former- human racist society with digimon kneeling before her...

Stroking the egg in her lap, she tried to force herself to listen to the report a Firamon delivered to her. About Glimmer City, wherever that place was.

Why was she the one in this situation, not Takuya who was standing to her right and slightly behind her? Wasn't he the one who was supposed to be important to these digimon?

He was running things nicely enough as well with the addition of Asuramon who was standing to her left.

Yet it was _her_ who was looked at like a queen.

If she hadn't already been in shock, that would certainly do it all over again.

Firamon retreated by -much to her comfort- rising out of a bow as soon as he had stopped speaking and then left by actually turning his back to her as he galloped out. _Not like how things go in films_, was the random thought invading her head.

How nice.

Shock was a funny thing.

The next digimon to come forward was a FlaWizarmon. Sora had actually never seen one before, but Izzy had gotten them all an encyclopedia about digimon and Tai had told them to learn them inside out. Ordered, really, and when he did that there was a reason. So Sora had memorized it and remembered that FlaWizarmon were supposed to have died out some digital centuries ago.

"I am a representative of the resident Keepers, of the Ninth Orb, Chosen Child of our Lady," the digimon said, and from the voice inflection Sora labeled this one a female, "we hereby offer to return the Master's power to herself so that she may rise to her former glory."

Next to her, Takuya stiffened at the words and Sora figured she had missed the importance of what was said. The tips of her fingers tenderly on the shell of her partner's egg increased their pressure for a tiny amount out of reflex as she glanced at Takuya.

His jaw was clenched and he was pale, looking pained and Sora wondered if she hadn't underestimated the severity of her, their, situation. Still, he caught her eye and shook his head imperceptibly.

The girl was still too much out of it too understand what he meant however as he started talking. "The offer is appreciated." There was an odd amount of respect in his voice as he inclined his head. "However the Supreme Ruler left his gifts behind with a purpose. She does not wish to reclaim them now, when she does not have need of their sacred power. As milady's subjects who she has kept save for millennia, she does not desire to withdraw her protection now."

FlaWizarmon, on her knees, with her staff on the ground in front of her, head lowered, glanced at Sora with a reverence that creped her out. "Nevertheless," she murmured, "it is hers."

Directed at Sora. Respect, awe, expectations, directed at _Sora_.

Her!

Sora's arms tightened around Piyomon's egg. "Thank you," she said with a slightly higher than normal voice, shaking, but she managed to put a force in them she didn't really feel as she suddenly felt a new wave of panic closing in on her as the shock of losing Pyiomon wore off. "But not now."

At her voice, everyone, Takuya included, startled. Wide eyes were staring at _her_.

Sora swallowed, wondering if she made a mistake.

Tension rose. Her hold on her digi-egg partner became hard.

But then FlaWizarmon lowered her head, deeply. "As you wish."

Just like that, she left.

Sora wanted to leave too and in a moment she would later blame on channeling Davis, rose to her feet as well.

She was more stared at.

The sudden motion did Sora no favors either and dizziness assaulted her. If anything, she knew, fainting would be the worst thing to do now.

Takuya jumped in. Sora hoped she would remember to be grateful later when her heart wasn't beating in her throat. "I believe Avatar Asuramon will be perfectly able to listen to your words. The Chosen needs rest."

He made a half bow -to Sora!-, gesturing with his hand towards the beginning of a corridor leading _away_ from the throne room. With half a mind she kept herself from running at it. Takuya followed.

As soon as they were out of sight and earshot, Sora sighed, leaned against a wall and couldn't bring herself to care about the heat of it. Needing to sit down or risking fainting, she slid down. "Why are they treating me like that? What is going on?"

Takuya just groaned, sounding defeated, but he ran a hand through his hair -googles hanging around his neck. "You really didn't listen first time... not that I can blame you," he sighed. "First off, they aren't treating _you_ like that. They are treating your partner like that. Only she is... well," he broke off uncomfortable, pointedly not looking at the egg in Sora's arms.

"So you are being substitute. And short version of that is...Piyomon evolved to Zhuqiaomon. Which would be a whole lot more amazing if that didn't came with the baggage of an entire society. Anyway, the Fire Sect noticed, from down here thanks to the Orb of Power and of course are over the moon to get their leader back. I guess I got to say that again as well, but- that egg...they did some special medical-magical whatever treatment and only turned Pyokomon back into an egg to deal with the.._.damage." _

Which Sora had no idea what that was. The last thing she really remembered was... Birdramon. Birdramon getting hurt!

Even though it was already over, tears strung in her eyes. It felt like an icy dagger to her heart. It was the last time she had ever seen her partner alive. The egg in her arms right now was going to be her new partner, but it wasn't going to be Piyomon. Piyomon was gone. And Sora had _slept_ through it.

What was she thinking, being in shock? Sora didn't deserve that kind of break. Sora didn't even deserve to be holding Piyomon's legacy.

Unknowing about her troubles, Takuya continued and Sora listened only with half an ear. "So she hasn't really died and been reborn, but is just returned to that form. Like devolving in a sense. No time to better explain it now. So _please_ pull yourself together. I need help."

For a long moment, the word that had left Takuya's lips did not register, but when they did, Sora's mind came to a screeching halt. The part of her that was slowly letting the grief in wanted to scream in outrage and fury, but shock was a funny thing and truthfully Sora did not care about hows and whys. The what was impossible to overhear or misinterpret, because no matter what, what every chosen child knew, that death was just as final in the digital world as in the real one. Even if it didn't look like it.

That Takuya compared it to devolving was in no way fitting and insulting on top, but because he said it, there had to be something about it. And Sora, who had been following his lead for what felt like a long time now, gave him the benefit of the doubt and believed him. "I-what-?"

She stared, heart beating in her throat. As she stared, however, she noticed for the first time, mouth suddenly dry, how terrible he looked.

It wasn't just him being pale, or annoyed. Even in the half-light of torch-lit corridors a sheen of sweat made his skin gleam, his breath was ragged and flat. The way he was leaning against the wall opposite of her suggested he was unable to keep upright otherwise. Sora wasn't sure, but the darkness covering his half his neck and disappearing under his clothes did not look like shadows.

He looked worse than Sora felt. Something she hadn't thought was possible short of lying on a deathbed.

That comparision gave her a start and she almost jumped to her feet. Was he- ? "Are you all right?"

Takuya moaned. "_No_." His voice broke to croaks. "I should have passed out hours ago. My body hurts like hell and I still have half a hole in my torso. My brain feels fried and _I can't feel fried_. I cann't think straight, but if I just pass out for a couple hours you will be cooked alive." He swallowed. "And we can't leave because just suggesting you and that egg leaving the temple is like a sacrilege. So we can't! Or we get a three-side war after all! And if you can't leave, that means I have to keep the heat away from you and I can't rest, but I feel like the ground is swallowing me and the walls don't stay where they should."

Sora tried hard to keep reality under her feet and being overwheled at bay. "Why?" Looking around, she saw no one and once they left the temple, she could probably find the way back to the exit. Anything to not think! "Why can't we leave? Like, who is stopping us right now?"

Takuya looked at her like she spoke a foreign language.

* * *

><p>The chapter for January.<p>

Hope you like it, thank you for reading, please drop a review on the way out and see you next month.


	38. Digital World: Dark Evolution VIII

Chapter 37: Digital World: Dark Evolution VIII

* * *

><p>"And the third one?"<p>

Davis took a reminding look at it and sighed. "That's the Digimental of Miracles," Pressing a few buttons, he called the object in question up full screen. As always, it was a faded yellow instead of the glowing gold it had been when Davis had first been entrusted with it. "I can't use it, though."

Tommy frowned as he took a closer look, liberating the D-terminal from Davis' hands. "Why not? I'd guess it's powerful with a name like that."

"It's super cool!" Exclaimed Veemon promptly and Davis grinned in response, caught in his partner's enthusiasm. "I turn into Magnamon and I'm totally awesome. I never lose!"

"I have never seen a Maganamon before. What do they look like?"

As Veemon gave their companion a mildly accurate description of his mega-evolution, complete with animated gestures and sound effects, Davis fought a shudder.

The sun was shining, and it was warm. The sky was cloudless and the waves brought a pleasant swinging to their float.

It was already afternoon and Davis could still see File Island against the horizon. They had met Tommy yesterday evening and had decided to build a raft and set out to sea, as Davis knew for a fact that on that island was nothing that could help them any further. So they had started to build their ship the next morning; Veemon had cut down trees, as Davis, with his arm still broken had set about collecting edible supplies, while Tommy had gone to the next river and frozen as much drinkable water as they could possible bring along.

Now Tommy was keeping it from melting by sitting next to it, but the closeness of a giant ice-cubes was by far not enough to make Davis freeze.

Were it a normal day, in a normal situation Davis would probably like coolness it provided on a possibly hot day. The thing was only; it wasn't only their water supply that was frozen to hard ice. For stability's sake Tommy had frozen the trunks making up their raft as well.

So Davis thought it was hardly his fault that he was a bit cold after half a day of sitting on ice.

"-it, Davis?"

"Huh?" He returned, intelligently.

Tommy frowned at him, then shrugged. "I was asking why you can't use it, the digimental. There has got to be a reason."

Davis blinked, trying to clear his head. He glanced at the D-terminal in the younger boy's hands and the expectant looks on Veemon and Tommy's faces.

"Oh, yeah, that." He scratched his head, awkwardly switching hands in mid motion as one arm was still tied up. "Izzy explained that. I didn't really get it, but he said something about it needing to be 'charged' or something. I'm not sure. I mean it's not a battery."

The other snorted. "That'd be too easy." But quickly he frowned again, and Davis sighed. He was learning really fast that Tommy's default mode seems to be set either on Unnecessarily Serious or Teen on Vacation, switching between the two at the drop of a hat. "Maybe he didn't mean it literally. Since this is the Digiworld and all."

"Well, sure," agreed Davis, shrugging. "But what is that supposed to be? I mean do I have to make miracles to get it to work or something?"

"I hope not," said Tommy, handing him back his D-terminal. Davis took it and stuffed it back into his pocket. Then his fingers promptly continued to fiddle with his digivice. "If I had to guess, though, then...Well, if its powers are really as amazing as they sound, then I'd guess something must be offered for it to work. Or at least, that is what it is like in our digital world. Evolution is by far not as defined as it is here. There are many ways to get stronger. It is...more chaotic and willful." He trailed off, eyes drifting to afar, before Tommy determinedly shook his head and continued, explaining. "Like, digimon are able to combine to get stronger. Like a fusion. Two digimon turn into one of a higher evolution but, well, are one digimon then."

Davis blinked at him, his thoughts hung up on the notion of a different digital world, which, of course, he should have already known. But it had never really sunk in. What was this other world like? Flashing back to that time all those years ago when he had stubbornly followed Kari and T.K. into a different world, he felt the same flutter of excitement. He wondered if it was possible to go and see it in the future. New, unexplored places...

Then the next part of what Tommy had said sunk in. "Jogress Evolution? You have Jogress Evolution? That's amazing! Why didn't you say something? Wait. Does that mean if you have that, then we have yours? Spirit Evolution was it called? I can turn into a digimon? That's so cool-Woah!" He had forgotten for a moment here he was and having jumped up, the float swayed dangerously, making Davis lose his balance and almost fell head first into the sea.

"Davis!" Veemon, with his small body, overeager to help, forgot that he was too weak in his current form and as Davis overbalanced, trying not to fall in, his partner did. With a splash.

A hand pushed him in the back, and Davis joined Veeemon in the salty water.

Waving and kicking around, his head broke through the waves, spluttering. The water burned in his eyes and he cursed something and prepared to curse the little kid, but the words somehow transformed on their way from brain to mouth. "You look ridiculous!"

Veemon wiped some water from his face, completely missing the seaweed pierced by the small horn on his nose and sticking to his face like a mutated mustache, took one look at Davis' expression and became somewhat stuck between offended and indignant. Davis tried going for a look of innocence -

Somewhere behind him, someone snorted loudly.

-and failed miserably. He burst out laughing.

* * *

><p>"Tai…I'm hungry."<p>

"I know. We are looking, aren't we, Agumon?"

"I thought we were hiding?"

"That too."

"…"

"…"

"I'm hungry."

Taichi sighed. "I know." He looked around, hoping to have missed something eatable the last ten times he did it. Unsurprisingly, nothing caught his eye.

The spare firs were only hanging full of needles and while they had crossed paths with a few mushrooms, Tai was reluctant to try any as along as he didn't recognize them, still remembering the incident with the ones that made one forget everything. Who knew what other kind of special effects digital mushrooms carried along with them?

That said, Tai was hungry too and if Argumon didn't get something too he was going to be unable to fight when –not if- they were attacked the next time.

The two of them had been forced to leave the Koromon Village's cave yesterday evening when it became clear that the darkevolving digimon all had him and Agumon as their target.

Tai hoped that with them leaving no other faulty evolutions were going to happen –and if, that they were going to hunt the two of them-, but he couldn't be sure as they had put as much distance between the village and them before the sun had sunk.

Now they were hiding in the mountains, trekking south west towards the closest TV, though Tai didn't really put much hope into it working. It couldn't hurt to try beyond giving their location away, which was happening anyway for some reason.

It made Tai remember Etemon's Dark Network all those years ago, and while it was definitely possible that the stupid Fortress had a few Etemon working for it, he hadn't seen any of the tell-tale dark lines.

Maybe they had other ways of tracking them. Like by smell or something. Whatever it was, Tai hadn't yet identified it. Though currently -and it was looking more and more likely- he suspected that the activity of his digivice was somehow traced.

Agumon hadn't evolved or devolved in hours, ever since he beat a few bothersome ultimate level digimon.

Agumon was now in his default mode, Tai's digivice was as inactive as could be and they hadn't been found or attacked for half a day already.

"I'm hungry, Tai," complained Agumon pitifully. His steps were sluggish and he held his stomach, expression set in one of great suffering. Tai felt for him, but he knew Agumon well enough to know it wasn't as bad as he made it out. Yet.

"You are welcome to try and eat this wonderful greenery." Tai waved a hand at the plant covered field they were currently moving through. "Otherwise we might be lucky and find some fish in the river on the foot of this mountain."

The former goggle head might as well have told his partner Christmas had come early, so much his face lit up. "Let's go, Tai!" And he ran, suddenly very quick on his feet.

Tai laughed, but didn't follow, trusting Agumon not to go too far ahead, as he rotated his arms, doing some of the rehabilitation exercise he had been told to do.

His back still ached, but it was getting better.

Unseen from the brunet, there was a silhouette against the blue sky above him, coming closer.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry."<p>

Davis grunted because while Tommy might look it with his head ducked guiltily, it didn't actually help Davis. An apology -or a dozen as of now- could not actually undo him getting pushed into the water. Davis sneezed once again and rubbed his arms, shaking from the cold.

The sun was getting closer to the horizon and already it was much too chilly. He had wrung out his clothes, but they were still damp, sucking body heat from him and that coupled the literally frozen float...well, Davis was going to be freezing cold soon enough. "Why aren't you cold," he accused sulkily.

Tommy dropped the sober expression in favor of a deadpan stare. Which even Veemon, who was already long dry, the lucky guy, copied and turned on him.

Defensively, Davis leaned back. "What?"

If Tommy's expression could have somehow become more expressive, it did just that. "I have the Spirits of Ice. You are sitting on frozen wood with frozen ice cubes next to you, you know."

Davis huffed. Honestly. "So? I mean having those Spirits or hosting them or whatever doesn't make you impervious to cold." Davis wasn't all that clear on the details about Tommy and Takuya's other kind of Chosen, that being all far to theoretical and complex for him, but he was pretty sure he would have hear about something like that.

Then he suddenly remembered the most glaring moment of recent memory, making his stomach drop.

It had been Takuya talking to them, uncharacteristically snappish and a few harsh, hurtful words. And Davis realized that he did not know if Takuya had only been referring to himself with those dodging answers. And Davis gulped, an uncomfortable heavy feeling building up inside him as he finally noticed that he didn't see a -hadn't at all- a Digivice on Tommy. "Or does it?" His voice was unsure, afraid of an answer he did not really want.

Tommy either didn't notice or didn't acknowledge it. He poked a finger to the ice they were sitting on, absently. "I haven't felt cold ever since my first trip to the digital world. Around four years ago or so. It is getting kind of difficult to remember what being cold feels like. I mean, I know when it is cold, but I don't actually _feel_ it." There was apathy mixed with mild interest in his eyes, as if he was speaking about something else entirely. Something removed, and not the lack of what was supposed to be a part of a nature. The feeling in Davis' stomach was staring to make him feel sick.

Tommy shrugged. "I thought it was normal except none of you have effects like that no matter what element your partners belong to. But then again it probably also has to do with Spirits being elemental and a more...well..._basic_ and of course with us doing the evolution and not a separate being in our stead. Don't really know, though. And I don't really care either."

Davis fished for words and found none. Looking for help, his gaze found Veemon. Veemon was looking back at Davis with wide and curious -innocent- eyes. He did not see anything wrong with what Tommy had just told them.

Davis wrenched his eyes shut, pushed all the air inside him out, clenched his hand harder around his digivice, before forcefully relaxing his death grip, sucking in a sharp breath and fresh, salty air and shoving his current feelings and thoughts all into a far corner of his mind.

Understanding really started to set in. And here he had been wondering why the girls, Yolei in particular, and girlish T.K. And some others and even Tai had been so put off by what Harry had explained that day. That day, Davis had thought he had understood what Harry had told them, but he hadn't; hearing something about someone was different than seeing it in a person. Davis had not _truly_ understood.

The ice around him suddenly seemed a lot colder.

"How do you do it," he asked, and only once the words were already out, he wondered what it was that he was asking about.

Tommy blinked at him. Not entirely innocently, but still somehow pure in a way that went over Davis' head. It made him incredibly glad he was not in Tommy's place and then guilty for it.

Hadn't someone said something about split personalities? Tommy's mood swings made a lot of sense right now. Even if Davis wouldn't describe them as different personalities.

Becoming a digimon. At first Davis had thought that was absolutely amazing. He still thought so. That was until he thought about what the evolution did to the human. Awesome fighting powers, yes, action, superhero like. But it wasn't like that at a second look.

Davis was not Veemon. He was not a digimon.

There was a reason Davis was not Veemon, he thought.

For all that he loved Veemon, he _did not _want to_ be_ his partner.

Kick-starting his imagination, Davis placed himself in a situation where he had a choice between death or more terrible things, and becoming Veemon. With no one offering him an alternative.

Which was Tommy.

Davis imagined that the choice would not have been much of a choice at all. And he would not have ever thought about it as a bad thing. Because he would know nothing else.

Davis didn't know what it was like to _become a digimon _and he honestly, truthfully honestly, did not want to. The thought of it happening to him, of it happening to his friends scared him in a way that BelialVamdemon, even at its strongest, did not manage.

Davis was chosen by courage, but that did not mean he could not be afraid.

There was a reason, Davis figured, that he had Veemon, that he was not Veemon, that he was not a digimon, did not turn into a digimon. Davis was human. Not a digimon.

Suddenly, he knew exactly what he had wanted to know with his question and he clarified. "How do you turn into a digimon?"

Tommy gave him an odd look, leaning back on his arms behind him. "Evolution, of course. Are you feeling alright?"

Davis waved an impatient hand. The one attached to his arm in a sling. His other had a death grip on his digivice. "Not that. Like, you turn into a digimon, behavior and all. And I mean, your body turns totally different. How do you manage that? I don't think I could fight by when my body is completely different and a head smaller." And _that_ was what bothered him so. That was what scared him. What it meant for the mind doing it. This was a mental thing. No enemy to beat up.

Maybe it was something Davis had not wanted to think about before.

But right now, with his arm out of use and in a sling, it jumped all but in the face. And now that Davis was aware of it, he would not run.

Davis could not imagine flipping an extra limp on and off and switching between bodies like it didn't matter and _changing what he was like _in the same breath.

He did not want to.

Tommy stilled. While Veemon just looked at Davis with ogle eyes, probably wondering why Davis asked so frankly obvious questions -to a digimon- , Tommy did understand it. Something he shouldn't. But did, because he was a digimon, too. More than just from evolution.

The younger boy turned his gaze directly at him, searching him, just for a moment with piercing eyes, before he sighed and turned his attention somewhere to the left of Davis' head. "It is not something that can be just explained. Evolution is evolution. Changing from one thing into another. ….You have studied biological evolution in school, haven't you?" He waited only shortly for Davis to nod before continuing with what Davis felt were carefully chosen words. "It is like that. Humans descend from monkeys. But you don't think anything strange about not being a monkey, do you?"

"Well, no. But that took eons. I don't turn into a monkey regularly."

There was a quick spark of humor flashing over Tommy's expression, but it disappeared too quickly for Davis to even work up a scowl. "But it still is like that. When I'm Chakkumon, I a_m_ Chakkumon. When I'm Blizzarmon, I _am_ Blizzarmon. When I'm Tommy, I _am_ Tommy."

Davis was all at once acutely aware of the ice he was sitting on; it crept up his arms, seeped through his skin and settled in his bones. "So..." he struggled to bring out the words to say exactly what he felt. They were at the tip of his horror-tied tongue. "So...you...just..._change_ who you _are_? Turn into someone different? On the _inside?_ Just like that?" And he accepted it? Freely? Voluntarily? Davis reeled with disgust, horror, anger and fear at the mere thought of that kind of mental invasion.

Getting into his head, changing who he was, was the stuff of Davis' nightmares. Ken, who couldn't hurt a fly, turned into the Digimon Kaiser just like that. Into opposites because of something like_ that._

Somewhere along the line as Davis had been lost in his emotional turmoil, Veemon had found himself a place to sit on Davis' lap from where he was looking worriedly at Davis. Right now, the goggle head couldn't draw comfort from him. Veemon was a digimon. What did Davis force him through with every time he made his partner change form.

So far he had always though it was just that: a change of form.

Tommy frowned and his voice hardly made it into Davis' head. "No." He shook his head, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "I am still _me_. If that could change, then...then there would be no reason to pick chosen children so carefully. In our world. If evolution could just... mold us into what we needed to be if only temporary. Then there would be no need for you to have a partner either. You and Veemon are carefully selected to fit together, aren't you? If any random digimon could be changed into a digmon that fit to you, why would you need Veemon?"

Veemon tugged at his shirt. Davis ignored him. "But that is exactly what you just said!"

Tommy rolled his eyes. It pissed Davis off that he could be so casual. As if they were talking about the weather. It did nothing to convince him. It scared him too."I did not. I told you it was difficult to explain. How about you compare it to play acting? And wearing masks? You can switch between masks and roles without changing the actor. Like that. ...Vaguely."

Veemon tugged more at his shirt, more intently. This time, Davis looked down. The blue digimon looked very sad, eyes round and his floppy ears pressed against his head. "Don't you like me anymore?"

It felt much worse like a punch to the gut even if Davis didn't understand how Veemon got to that thought. "No!" In his chest, something was squeezed with iron tools. "I- I...I just!...don't understand...evolution," he finished lamely, boiling the issue down to the most basic terms. "...And I don't like it."

"Oh," said Veemon, head dropping a bit more. Then he suddenly brightened. "But that's alright! Davis doesn't evolve, so you don't need to. I'm doing the evolving. It's fun, though."

"It's...-_fun?_"

"Yeah," Veemon boobed his head, relieved that Davis wasn't angry with him. "It feels real fun. Like jumping on your bed." Which he wasn't supposed to. "Or that fluffy, fluffy sticky stuff to eat." Cotton candy, Davis' head translated automatically even as he was stuck in a state of stupefied confusion. How, _why_ was he thinking about cotton candy? Davis thought his eyes were wide enough to replace them with plates.

"The thing is anyway, Davis," Tommy cut in. Davis had almost forgotten about him. "We do it voluntary. It is about something that you cannot possibly understand, but we do it voluntary. Shouldn't that be enough? Can't you trust our judgment?"

This one was like running against a wall. Couldn't he trust...?

Davis opened his mouth to say something -anything; denial, reassurance, questions- but nothing came out and he closed it again. He swallowed audibly, then tried again, but words still wouldn't come. Shivering, not only from the cold, Davis exhaled.

Tommy was right, wasn't he?

Davis didn't trust him. Except he did. Just, not like _that_. Leaving his back open to him in a fight was no problem, no issue. But that was one of the easiest things. Fighting. It was other things he didn't trust Tommy with, didn't trust Takuya with, didn't trust that group with.

He didn't even have to think about why.

"_Why are you showing mercy in battle?"_ Takuya had asked that, so bluntly that he seemed to think them stupid. The very same Takuya who had gained their cooperation without ever mentioning the risk, the _price_, involved on his side.

Davis did not trust them with the safety of their opponents, nor with _their own_. They had different priorities, different values, worked differently. They were just plain _different_ and while Davis had no problem with that, he couldn't _trust_.

This digital world was his, t_heirs_. Theirs to protect.

Veemon was something else entirely, though. "Sorry, Veemon." Davis patted his partner's head a bit. "I got confused for a moment."

"Okay!" Veemon chirped.

Very pointedly, Davis did not apologize to Tommy and he glanced at him from the corner of his eyes.

And that, right there, was why he couldn't believe in Tommy. Instead of being offended, maybe hurt or subdued, Tommy grinned at the display between Davis and Veemon. As if it didn't matter to him. As if he didn't care that Davis had just not denied the lack of trust in him and his judgment. As if he hadn't noticed it.

Davis didn't want this. This, wariness and mean thoughts, the lack of trust.

Why not change it?

How?

By getting to know him. Understand each other.

And he _would_.

Davis had decided.

Resolution made, Davis opened his mouth to-

-and got an explosion of water into his face and mouth and he chocked. The ground tiled under him and off topic he mourned how he had almost managed to get his clothes dry only to get another bath.

Davis shouted as the world around him spun and water swallowed him. Clamming his lips shut, Davis tried to keep water out and air in, but it was already to late and the most he could do was hold down on the instinct to cough to not make it worse as he struggled and kicked.

His head broke the surface.

His first split-second thought was the sky had turned dark, but as he spit up more water and struggled to stay above surface with his broken arm he saw it wasn't the sky that was black. It was much worse. It was a digimon.

On impulse, outweighing even his desire to stay over water, his hand reached for his digivice. With his clothes dragging him down, he was quickly submerged again, but Davis didn't mind, holding his digivice in hand and focusing on it. He thought about Veemon, directed his inner focus at Veemon, VeemonVeemon.

He had his eyes closed, but the light of his Digidestined device pierced through is eyelids and Davis started for the surface again, his air running out.

Something grasped him around the middle and water rushed by him as he was pulled. It wasn't ExVeemon.

The arms were unfamiliar, the hold unkind and violent and water pressure forced hit squashed him, invading through his nose, and ears and pressing against his eyes. His head felt like it was imploding and instinctive panic set in.

Then the grip around him was gone and something else pulled him, this time in the opposite direction.

Davis broke the surface again, coughing and spluttering and with tears in his eyes and a worried voice by his ear. He waved all concern away, or at least attempted to when ExVeemon was hit, tumbling through the air.

"ExVeemon!"

Again they crashed into the water, the impact painful this time, but clearer and Davis held on tight as his partner gathered his bearings and attempted to get back into the air. But ExVeemon was hit by s_omething_, forced back and forth and up and down, and his hold on Davis was almost desperate.

The boy forced his eyes open, the salty water burning in his eyes. Dark shapes all around them. Small, agile, strong and violent, they were attacking them from all sides, kicking them around like a ball.

A particularly violent impact made Davis' head snap to the sides and his teeth hurt. Air bubbled away from him in red tinged water and after the moment it took for the boy to realize what it meant, red hot anger build up in his chest. Fear too, and panic, but Davis was always one to respond first with anger and when he was helpless even more so.

ExVeemon dodged something long and fast -a harpoon- only to be hit by something else. They sunk deeper into the sea and the lack of air hurt.

* * *

><p>I hope you like the chapter for February, because I tell you I was <em>this<em> close to making a note on my profile that February's chapter was canceled. _This_ close. I already had the wording done.

But I managed, somehow, at the cost of possibly significant time that I should be investing into an assignment for University that is due in less than a week and on which I have only just started.

Davis was difficult to write as well.

Please drop a review on your way out and see you next month. (Hopefully that is; if not, it'll be written on my profile.)


	39. Digital World: Dark Evolution IX

Chapter 38: Digital World: Dark Evolution IX

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><p>Efficiency.<p>

Efficiency, Tommy reflected as he had to turn his eyes down and down and tilt his head some to catch sight of the water dozens of feet below him, was something he likely had always been partial to. From when he was a child up to now. Even in his earliest (relatively speaking) memories, he could pinpoint moments where he had done things with the simple purpose of being efficient; of taking the shortest and straightest path. Being a spoiled kid unable to do anything by himself was, if he thought about it, also a result of Tommy being efficient. After all, why bother doing things when he could have others do it for him with less effort?

A greasy thick strand of flesh and muscle was wrapped around his body almost from head to toe. The low, hoarse and scratching sound of the gigantic digimon drowned out the whooshing of sea and wind. Tommy felt the sound vibrate through the air and beat against his ears.

MarineDevimon, his memory supplied helpfully.

He had been misguided as a child, hadn't had a purpose to use that efficiency for. And since he hadn't had one, why not use it as he pleased? His childish mind hadn't seen the downside of having things easy, of making things easy. Too easy. Because Tommy had been very efficient at having things easy, he hadn't know how to act when he didn't have things easy. He hadn't know that that which was gained with little effort often had little worth. Hadn't understood that often the work put towards a goal was what gave worth to the goal in the first place.

Tommy grit his teeth, tensing his muscles and trying to move. All for nothing, as he couldn't even squirm. Frustrated, he let the coldness seep out from under his skin. He couldn't evolve, not in a situation like this where the battle was unpredictable. And where was Davis? He and Ex-Veemon had burst out of the water the last time what Tommy felt to be some time ago and he hadn't seen or heard of them since.

Were they all right?

Tommy didn't know and he couldn't to anything about it either so he dropped the worry from his mind with less effort than was right, and tried to think of ways of getting out of his _situation_.

Analysis: Captured, but not yet carried away, captured and in not able to act, but not unresisting.

There were many ways to work from that. Tommy just had to find them.

Back then, the digital world had cured Tommy quickly of the illusions he had had. If he hadn't pulled his own weight, the others would have paid for it. If he hadn't done his absolute best, which often still had not been enough, then he would have died. Not one of them would have survived if they hadn't known or learned to be efficient and practical. And just like that there had been a goal to work towards, there had been a reason to do his best, to be efficient _for._

Curling his fists, Tommy once again tensed his muscles, straining against his restrains. His breath didn't cloud in the air being the coldest thing around, but whiteness crept up the black skin of MarineDevimon's tentacle. It didn't notice, too busy trashing its remaining limps into the water.

In a sharp exhale, Tommy blew his breath at the restricting limb, watching it freeze over to a reflecting, shimmering surface. But it still wasn't enough and the boy drew on the ice in his bones. It got colder still and while Tommy didn't feel the drop in temperature, he was suddenly uncomfortably aware of how the thick strand around him was living, breathing and _warm_ flesh. It was too warm against his cool skin. But even as he thought this, the contact cooled and, as he focused on it, the skin changed from greasy contact on frozen skin to slippery surface.

Of course Tommy couldn't really put all his experiences and how he had changed from the months long fighting with the others into words. That was impossible. But what he could say confidently was that having repeatedly and frequently changed _what_ he was, from the outside to the inside, had not done anything to make him less efficient. After all, efficiency had been one thing that all of his forms and minds had held on to. To different degrees maybe, but it had been something stable when very little had been. Like his voice, like his size, like his mind. Like his emotions.

Once more Tommy projected the ice of his body outside before he flexed his arms, relaxed his muscles in preparation and _exhaled_. He pushed the air out his body, made his lungs collapse in size, pulled his stomach in and with a sharp jerk twisted his arms into the vacated space against his belly. He pulled his shoulders in, changed the position of his legs and all of a sudden there was not enough pressure to hold him in the confines with the tentacle slippery and gravity working for him.

Tommy wished he were able to hate himself right now. Being efficient was not a state of mind he preferred, but it came the most easily to him. Chackmon was efficient, Blizzarmon was more so. Tommy had fused his biological data with Blizzarmon's. Beast Spirits were nothing if not efficient. They had nothing else to be but be _efficient_.

They were called Beast Spirits for a reason.

Right now, all Tommy could think, was efficient. Estimated, calculated if possible, for the best possible result. Anything that didn't aid in reaching that result was tossed aside with determined simplicity. That, more often than not, included (not-fueling) emotions. Like right now.

Tommy free fell dozens of feet through the air. His body was so cold that at contact with the water, it shock-froze. The ice caught part of his impact, building for greater resistance against the water. Its different density carried Tommy fast back to the surface.

He was not stupid enough to not realize that if he couldn't do something about the advantage the ocean provided MarineDevimon and the many Hangyomon with, he had lost.

But at the same time, there was nothing he could do about it. So long as he didn't know where Davis and Ex-Veemon were, he could not risk locking them beneath the surface.

Right now, in the back part of his mind that had not yet accepted his fate, how his life's decisions had been taken from him, he was horrified, screaming and repulsed. It was easily, what he felt was almost far too easily, ignored. Besides that, Tommy didn't feel much of anything. Tension was there of course, anger, frustration and his heart was thundering against his chest. But the worry, fear, horror, blind panic he should feel because Davis hadn't surfaced yet was absent. His rational mind was aware that he had lost his sense of time the moment this fight had started and for all he knew not even thirty seconds had passed, but at the same time his rational mind was also aware that minutes could have passed already. And Tommy didn't feel a bit towards that simply because there was absolutely nothing for him to do about it.

He should feel horrified about that, too.

In the most ironic ways, he felt like part of him had been frozen. But unlike anything else, Tommy couldn't make that ice bend to his will.

Tommy _latched_ on to the fist part of MarineDevimon he could reach.

No place save? Simple; find one. If not, then make one.

No solid surface? Simple; make one. If not, improvise.

Big difference in body size? Simple; use it.

Ice was, in fact, very good at making things stick together -under the right circumstances. Tommy was Ice, thus he didn't have to bother about the circumstances. He could climb up MarineDevimon's body without any aid whatsoever, a fact he _used_. Big bodies usually didn't have a lot of sensitive skin, dark-type digimon, who relied on power more than anything even more so. Chances were that it didn't even notice Tommy climbing up it's skin and leaving a frozen trail in his wake until the Hangyomon started firing their harpoons at Tommy.

Hangyomon, despite what they looked like where of a pretty high evolution. The same, in fact, as MarineDevimon, so an attack from them had a lot of impact.

MarineDevimon tumbled, its tentacles whipping around. Aimed at the water.

Statisfied, Tommy climbed higher.

Controlled digimon were stupid. They were unable to think for themselves, unable to connect the easiest facts. Puppets.

Just now, Tommy had turned them against each other, attacking each other without them ever even considering they might not be attacking an enemy. Puppet digimon, especially en masses, were literally programmed; simply at that.

It was an opening that was not smart to give, but then again, Tommy didn't think their adversary was overly intelligent. Well prepared, yes, intelligent, no.

Tommy didn't lie, especially not to himself. It wasn't in his nature. At all. He couldn't, in fact, lie. He didn't think that was a bad characteristic. Virtue-wise. Lying was bad after all. Because of who Tommy was, though, the lack of lying skill was a disadvantage. The rational and analytical mindset that he had not been without in a long time knew the use of lies and misinformation. Also, not lying meant not being able to bluff. Sometimes a good bluff was all that made the difference between victory and defeat, life and death. Tommy wanted to live. Had to live; he had not been chosen to die after all. Not being able to lie meant that he could protect no-one from ugly and hurtful truths. Or so he had thought at first. As it turned out, the omitting of information wasn't lying. Neither was letting others come to their own conclusions. Like Davis.

Without evolving, Tommy lacked power and agility, often a fatal problem against enemies as strong as the ones attacking, but there _was_ something. His mobility mostly unhindered, Tommy scaled MarineDevimon, freezing himself hand and footholds till he reached the beings wide shoulders. Carefully, Tommy held on to the agitated digimon's skin as he moved forward, his sight narrowing in on the thick neck. Digimon anatomy was different from human's, sometimes a lot, sometimes not, but without a doubt they mostly shared the fact that living without a head was not possible. Tommy was in no position to remove it, but he was in a position to do something similar, cruel as it was. Placing his hands against the softest piece of flesh, he began by calling forth the frost of his core to his hands and through his hands into the living being.

Tommy knew he should probably feel bad about what he had made the elder -or was he?- boy think, but...But he couldn't. Davis was an easy person to read and understand. It wasn't hard for Tommy, with Blizzarmon's millennia of wisdom to draw from, to have calmed Davis into a useful state of mind. He wished he felt bad about that. But feeling bad about something that needed to be done to be efficient wasn't efficient.

Little ice stars at first, the cold manifested quickly into a solid covering, ever growing in size and, most importantly, in depth. MarineDevimon's natural body heat worked against Tommy and even as a part of him was glad for it, he knew it wouldn't be an issue. Not for much longer. Puppet as it was, MarineDevimon's survival instincts still worked and Tommy had to freeze his hands and feet on to get get thrown of as the digimon lashed out more fiercely in attack of an enemy that stuck like a parasite to its body.

Tommy watched waves part from the impact of its tentacles, saw the shadows of the Hangyomon move around more, their instincts working as well.

Davis was a good person. He only wanted Tommy's best. And that was touching. It was that, though, that made it impossible for Tommy and his friends to tell the others the full truth, to be honest. Not if they still wanted to work together. Not if they wanted this still naïve team, to keep their innocence. Not if they wanted them to be useful. Davis felt responsible for Tommy. Everyone of them felt responsible for Tommy, for his safety. For them Tommy was just one more person to be protected. That protecting, that succeeding in protecting was most important to them. It was their duty and why they did what they did. They fought to protect. To protect lives and hearts. Failure to do so hurt them. Their hearts and spirits.

And Tommy couldn't allow that. For so many reasons.

All more or less linked to efficiency.

Efficient towards multiple aims.

Tommy increased the focus against his hands and soon MarineDevimon's struggles gained a desperate edge, one tinted by slowing movements and cries of looming death. High, vibrating through the body. It was a slow death that Tommy summoned, but it was the only one he could cause.

So he had to deceive Davis as well as he could. Because Tommy's best and his safety was not a priority. Because there was nothing Davis could to protect Tommy. The damage was already done, honestly, if one wanted to call it damage. And from the very beginning 'safety' and 'best' had different meanings for their two groups.

Idealistic, naïve and innocent, but _good_ as the other group was, Tommy didn't think they were open minded enough to tolerate what warriors were like. He didn't want a conflict over that. He didn't want to deal with getting other views pushed in his face with an effort that was better invested somewhere else. Especially not at the cost of moral and efficiency. It was war after all.

MarineDevimon sagged, swayed and fell over into the water. It drifted at the surface, not dead yet, not busting into data yet. Tommy would be lying if that hadn't been an effect he had anticipated. A slow death -or not, if the water temperature was kind. The body of MarineDevimon provided enough surface for Tommy to move, it was also large enough to force the Hangyomon to climb it if they wanted to get to Tommy. And they would come to face him on land, not being given the choice not to. Forcing water-types on land, Tommy had evened the scales some. Now he was only outnumbered and outgunned.

As Tommy used to be, he would have chosen to defend his spirited opinion rather than avoid stating it in the first place. He didn't like fighting -verbal or physical-, but he had been passionate about his sense of right and wrong and his sense of justice. The last two still held, luckily, even if he was more rational about it than passionate. Even if he saw more of a bigger picture now.

And that was exactly what he had not told Davis. Completely. Honestly, he wasn't sure if or how much he was still _Tommy; _the boy with a brother and parents and for his own sake Davis couldn't know that and so Tommy had tried to -and succeeded- in explaining the mental change of evolution away. He had compared it to masks and that wasn't wrong, except that he had not mentioned that wearing too many masks too long made the original person behind them disappear. If an evolution was only skin deep it was not much of an evolution at all and had little purpose.

Tommy crouched at the roots of one of MarineDevimon's tentacles, keeping a sharp eye out at his surroundings. How much time had passed? What was with Davis? Where would the Hangyomon come from? The latter was easily answered as he sensed them climbing on all around him, their wet skin making splattering sounds at they moved on land. With one more glance at the sea, Tommy once more put all thoughts of Davis from his mind. There was still nothing he could do. Nothing beyond keeping pursuers away.

In the digital world only things happened with purpose.

The two only things that didn't change _at all_ with evolution were his nature and memories. (Though the latter was a bit shaky at the moment; as Blizzarmon it was easier to remember what it was like being Blizzarmon. Tommy's memories tended to be a bit blurry then. But it was getting better.)

For that he had played into Davis' good heart and used it. Like it was just another pawn.

Tommy really wished he were able to hate himself right now.

As much as he could, Tommy called on the part of his mind that overlapped and intertwined most with his. Once upon a time, what he did now would have caused evolution, but sadly it wasn't that easy or that quick anymore. What he was like as Blizzarmon completely took him over. Stilling Tommy's eyes flicked from one Hangyomon to the next, counting and anticipating, calculating, but mostly trusting his instincts. His hands twitched for axes, a huffed breath was pushed from his nose, his crouch shifted to a more feral position. They'd see him the moment he left his spot, they'd attack and if Tommy fought, they'd overwhelm him. But it wasn't like he was given a choice either.

Tommy shot from his cover, attacking the first one. It was the most removed from the group. His hands lounging for the other digimon's neck, he heard hissing behind him, but all he focused on was avoiding his target's harpoon, locking the hand holding it and _attacking_. His first grab was avoided, but Tommy was already too far inside Hangymon's guard and land-clumsy (if strong) limps to be stopped. He jerked his knee upwards with all his power and momentum, and weak as he was as a human, it made the diver digimon double over croaking. Something sharp and fast pierced the air with a whistling sound. Shifting his center of gravity, Tommy let himself drop, only just in time. Sharp stinging in his shoulder and metallic smell was all the young teenager needed to know as he rolled to the side, hearing more weapons flying. They all missed Tommy, but Hangyomon was pierced by its allies weapons and busted into data.

Tommy swallowed.. Against armed enemies it was important to know the weapon's range. Harpoons or lances were difficult to overcome to force close combat and now the other digimon had used their weapons and given Tommy that opening. The boy sprung forward.

The world shook.

Losing his footing, Tommy almost crashed into even an even worse unbalanced Hangyomon. On instinct to the closeness, Tommy crushed a fist into its face, only then he had space, mentally and physically, to wonder.

His jaw dropped and he gaped at the digimon racing through the air at high speed as his memory supplied him with the answer despite the fact that Tommy had never quite seen this kind before. _AeroV-dramon. Ultimate evolution. Especially fast. Rare digimon. _

A half forgotten, ancient feeling memory flashed before his eyes and a wave of nostalgia overcame the holder of the Spirits of Ice as he watched. A fond smile tugged the boy's lips, emotionally stirred from the depth of his being in what felt like a long, long time or maybe the first time.

Tommy watched and the moment cost him. Another wave of harpoons was thrown at him. It was only instinct that made him twist out of the main wave, but one still sliced into his leg, another into his hip. For an eternal instant, a mass of impulses conflicted in him, an echo of the three beings that made him. Fear and shock, the impulse to cry out; shock and anger, the impulse to defend; anger and aggression, the impulse to destroy.

Tommy felt like his brain melted in his head when the split second passed and the breath was knocked out of him. Only then the pain registered, shaking him enough to make Tommy _focus_.

Focus enough to pull the stuck weapon in his side _out,_ focus enough to have the presence of mind to put distance between him and his enemies in whatever way possible. Half crawling, half rolling, it hurt, but pain was low on Tommy's list of concerns. Instead, distant recollections and experience, prodding him, he listened; for the whistle of cut air, the humming of heated energy, raising air pressure.

"_V- Wing Blade!"_

Again, even though it was the last thing he should be doing, even though it was no move of efficiency, he felt like smiling. It felt good to smile. Even now.

AeroV-dramon were familiar. Homey. Even though they were not of Ice. Even though the place he had seen and fought with most of them had been blood-soaked battlefields. Even though he recalled nothing but flashes and emotions. Propping himself up to his arms, Tommy already knew what sight would meet his eyes.

Deep cuts into flesh, toppled over bodies. A bit unexpected, not one of the Hangyomon was dead and even as he thought this, he realized that he should not be surprised at all to see no death as this was the present.

And he didn't mind that.

AeroV-dramon circled around and landed elegantly.

Despite where and how he was, Tommy found a moment at peace.

He _didn't_ mind the present.

Some of the subconscious barriers inside him melted.

Davis looked shaky on his feet as he slid from his partner's back, Tommy saw as he tried to struggle to his own feet. It wasn't a good idea, the host figured, when blood soaked into his clothes and standing was a thing that was far more difficult than it had ever been. However Tommy had his pride, his priorities and also new limits to test so he ignored it as best as he could. Functioning was important. Not one of the three beings he was had ever cared for weakness.

"Tommy!"

Tommy grinned with effort past his expression of pain. "I'm fine," he said, sounding weaker than he felt. "Just flesh wounds."

Throwing one dubious glance up and down Tommy's body, Davis made a dubious sound at the back of his throat. "Right. Anyway, lets get away first. AeroV-dramon says he is fast." He swung one of Tommy's arms around his shoulders, helping him walk.

Tommy ran his eyes over the small dragon is question, who was very busy inspecting his own body with excitement. "I bet. AeroV-dramon are pretty strong for perfect evolutions. And pretty fast, too."

Davis blinked. "You are familiar with them?"

_Well, in a manner of speaking..._"Yeah," he said, and suppressing more than a winch by biting down on his lips as he tired climbing on. That he was still able to move might not mean much if it hurt too much to do so fluidly in a fight. Not good. "It's been a long time, though. In our world AeroV-dramon have died out. There were a lot of them, though during our civil war." So long in fact, that Tommy didn't remeber them any more. Knowing stuff was different from remembering. Flashes were different from remembering.

It simply was too long ago.

"I haven't seen one before," Davis admitted, patting his partner's snout tiredly. He broke out into a wide grin. "But AeroV-dramon looks really cool."

The digimon in question puffed with pride. "Don't I? I feel like I could take on the world! And maybe your mom's food."

* * *

><p>In this chapter for April I hope I made it clear what Tommy's state of mind is like. I'm aware it probably is a bit confusing, but that is by design. Unlike Takuya, Tommy hadn't yet had the chance or reached a state where it was possible to unify his personalities. It can make him jumbled and messed up. Like here.<p>

Do you have questions? Suggestions or critique or complains? Please tell me in a review.


	40. Digital World: Dark Evolution X

Raihimon = Rhihimon

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><p>Chapter 40: Digital World: Dark Evolution X<p>

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><p>"How are you doing, really?"<p>

The kid huffed a breath that didn't sound as effortless as it was probably intended and more than just a bit irritated. "Have you gone deaf? I'm _fine_. Just like the other ten times you have asked."

Davis found that very hard to believe, what with the cold -_cold!_- blood having tickled from Tommy's hip on AeorV-dramon's back and from there into Davis' clothes. "You have a hole in your side." It was downright crazy, that Tommy wasn't kneeling over in pain. It was also crazy that Davis didn't insist they treat it; now.

But not only didn't they have anything to treat it with, Tommy insisted that the coldness of high and fast air travel was the best medicine that could be given to him. "It is freezing close, also like the last ten times you asked." He gave Davis a look over his shoulder. "If I'm starting to get a fever, you need to worry. I'm holding the _Ice_ Spirits, you know."

"I know that." Very much so, in fact. Davis was freezing; his cold clothes and close cut with drowning didn't exactly help. "I just don't see how that is going to be helpful."

Tommy sighed, sounding eerily like his friends sometimes did. "If my wound is freezing that means that it can heal all that easier."

Davis frowned. "Medicine doesn't work that way."

High in the air and racing at high speeds as it was, voices sometimes got lost, but Davis was pretty sure he didn't misunderstand Tommy's, "Real World medicine maybe doesn't. But this is the digital world and I'm Ice. Without any professional medics, throwing the same element at an ill digimon is the best treatment there is. Don't tell me you didn't know that."

Pretty sure the cold spot in his stomach didn't come from the outside, the Second Chosen of Courage didn't stop at this line of thinking. "But you aren't a digimon." Then he amended, "you at least don't look like one." But that was self-explaining, wasn't it? There were high evolutions that looked absolutely harmless. Appearances don't matter in the digital world. "So you really are more digimon than human?"

"Pretty much," the four years younger boy confirmed without any meaningful inflection. "Evolution still doesn't work as well as I'd like, but I'll just have to practice that. Sometime."

Sometime, when there was time. "So what does it feel like, being a digimon?"

Tommy's head turned, startled. "What?"

Davis couldn't resist a grin. "I mean I could ask AeroV-dramon, but first I don't think I can manage to get him hear me over the wind, but mostly he has always been a digimon so he couldn't tell me the differences."

Blinking twice in bewilderment, Tommy's expression slowly drew into a contemplating frown. "It's not so different, I suppose," said loudly over the air currents eventually. "Except there are some things hot-wired into your head. Like how to materialize battle axes or snow blasters. And instincts are a lot faster and more ingrained. The world looks a lot simpler; more in shades of black and white than a rainbow." He paused briefly. "And fighting is a lot easier. Since combat is part of the digital make up, but otherwise..."

"I don't get it," said Davis bluntly. "What do you mean the world is a lot 'simpler'?"

Tommy turned his head back front and Davis couldn't even see his profile for a moment. The pause was long this time and when Tommy did speak, it was with carefully constructed words. "Take a look at the digital world. I don't really know yours, but I bet it isn't different from ours in that regard. Do rulers exist?"

"Yeah. Qinlongmon." What was that dragon called? A sovereign?

"But he doesn't really do much, does he?" Guessed Tommy. "Just making sure the digital world isn't collapsing. Due to whatever cause, right?"

"I guess."

Tommy nodded as if Davis had said something of great importance. "It is the same with ours. We got three ruling angel digimon: Lady Ophanimon, Lord Seraphimon and Lord Cherubimon, but the only things they do, basically, is watch over the Spirits and making sure there aren't some kind of violent civil wars breaking out that would destroy the world." Turning his head back as far as he could, Tommy met Davis' eyes. "Nothing more and nothing less. Within that, digimon live as they please and as their nature defines them. The end." He puffs a breath.

"I still don't get it," said Davis.

"Because you are human," Tommy began. "Think of it like this: Humans are intellectually directed beings. But digimon_ aren't _like that. We have other basic programmings. Some want to fight, some have it as their lives goals to sit on a mountain and meditate. Not just as exceptions, but as whole populations."

Davis thought that over. "I still don't get it."

Tommy shrugged. "Like I said. That is because you are human. You have different priorities."

"Like what," Davis asked, challenging.

"Moral code. Different ethics. You think about reaching a goal the _right _way. Digimon mostly think about the _best_ way. If that overlaps with the right way, or if the right way doesn't have extra costs that can't or don't want to be payed, then that is great. But no more, no less." He adds after a short pause, "holy digimon are the only exception to that."

* * *

><p>Koichi sat at the shore, bare feet tickled by water.<p>

The water wasn't cold, but it also wasn't warm. It's substance was neither heavy nor light, it was neither oily nor clean. Mostly, it looked as black as a night's sky, but when Koichi let some of it run over his hand, he saw it was just as see-though as every other ocean water.

It didn't leave his hand wet.

Leaning back, Koichi looked at the gray clouded sky; no matter where he looked, the sky was always the same. Not even patterns in the clouds appeared. Ever.

If Koichi needed one word to describe this place, it was stale.

No matter how he looked at it, no matter where he looked, everything was stagnating, never changing, not even moving.

_At least_, he thought,_ the sand is comfortable. _

This place, wherever he was, was a world of darkness. However it wasn't true, it wasn't right.

The Dark Continent back home was as darkness was supposed to be; Koichi remembered it vividly. Eternal night, creatures of shadows and darkness, adapted and passive with dangers lurking in wait. There was evil there, too, as Darkness was the perfect hiding space, yet as passive as it was, it was not _stale_.

Koichi turned the word around in his head with mild distaste. Dark, passive, neutral, powerful; that was what Darkness was supposed to be. If it ever turned stale, then it was no longer Darkness at all. Stale Darkness would inevitably turn gray, into half formed shadows and lose all but the barest flickers of its power and then it would be consumed, collapsed, destroyed, eradicated to the last trail and in its place, something different would be. And not necessarily darkness.

Yet. And Yet.

Koichi was in a place that did not get anymore stale than it already was. The very idea that it still existed despite it was difficult to comprehend. That which was weak died. There was nothing weaker than Stale Darkness.

It should be impossible.

Yet this place exited. How was that possible?

No matter how he thought about it, Koichi only saw one possibility. This place was not devoured, because there was nothing to devour it. There was nothing to devour it, because nothing else existed.

Nothing else existed because this was a dead world. Entirely separated from everything that wasn't stale by dimensional barriers, it was not wonder...

The apocalypse had come, the world had ended and nothing had appeared to saved it. A tragedy, truly, and even if he might be able to do something about it, if only calling forth true Darkness and letting it swallow the rest of the world, he did not. It was not his place to do, he had no motivation to. Darkness was no one's savior. Not even his own, therefore Koichi was doing nothing but waiting to be found.

Maybe it would happen soon, maybe never. Whatever it was, it was not Koichi's place to change it.

Koichi's eyes fell half shut, fingers trailing in the sand.

Lying down, the host of the Spirits of Darkness sighed, closing his eyes, but also not willing to keep them open. He lay still, not sleeping, not awake, not moving, breath coming slowly and calmly, listening to his heartbeat, feeling the building resonance.

For how long he rested there, undisturbed, he did not know and did not care.

Sand crunched near him under the weight of steps, water splashed and Koichi opened his eyes slowly. Ash was floating in the air.

Shadows with yellow eyes, vague forms, only seemingly half solid stared at him.

"Are you...the...one?" The one to the front asked, voice raspy and dead. "Are you...," echoed another as the beings surrounded him, though not threateningly and at a respectful distance.

"We have...been waiting," said another, glowing eyes unblinkingly locked on Koichi.

Koichi didn't stir, watching the sky and the clouds dispassionately. No change, passivity, neutrality; everything seeped of darkness. Ash-covered, blood-dabbled since death.

"Are...you...the Chosen?"

With eery accuracy, Koichi turned his gaze to the speaker, still not finding it in him to move, even though he was neither tired nor hurt nor unwilling. "...Chosen?" There is no need to raise his voice beyond a whisper.

"We serve...our old God...in the...depth...", rasped another, cloaked voice like a drowned man. "We have...been waiting..."

Slowly, Koichi sat up, hands limply in the sand and his feet still touching the sea. "For what?"

"For...our God...to...revive...waiting...for so long."The shade came closer, warping a ghostly hand around his arm with surprising strength. Koichi trailed his eyes up from where he was held, up the beings arm into it face. Desperate strength.

They were desperately clinging to existence, having forgotten everything. Languidly, his free hand raised itself to the creature's face and with a soft touch, he set on an almost none-existing cheek. What a sad existence. "I am not the one you are waiting for," he told them softly.

Not one of them reacted much to his words, but Koichi was aware of their faded hope being crushed. Pitful beings, created by tragedies and emotions, but so very_ strong_.

Koichi respected strength in any form and matter and for as old as he sometimes felt, for as old as parts of him were, his chest was heavy with understanding and admiration. How long have they been fruitlessly waiting and still held on? Ages, eons at least. "I am not," he repeated. "But I know who you are waiting for. I will bring the one here. I promise."

The grip on his arm tightened. "Chosen...," they whispered.

Doing nothing to free his limp, Koichi calmly repeated, "not me." His body did not feel stiff as he rose to his feet. "I will leave and come back with your Chosen." He met the yellow eyes, passively. "Will you let me go?"

For an eternity, nothing changed, no one moved, then the hand eased away from Koichi's skin, leaving a dark and bruised hand print. "...we are...waiting..."

"You are," the brother who was once unacknowledged agreed. His heart was beating powerfully in his chest. "Not for long." Only once before had he had wings, the memories clouded, but the wings that grew for the host of Darkness now were nothing like those.

Gold and hard, light but stable, layered and smooth, they fit well to the armor covering him. Powerful, they did not need to beat to raise the digimon off the ground.

* * *

><p>"The ground is so far away, the ground is so far away," muttered Joe fearfully, then shook his head in determination. "It is not far away. It is just there. I'm not going to fall and I'm not going to die if I fall. It's not far away..."<p>

"What are you waiting for Joe! Come on!" Yelled Gomamon from the oh so far other end of the rope bridge. "We are going to take forever like this!"

"If I fall, then it is going to take never instead of forever," he continued to himself, grasping the next bit of rope and taking a careful step to the next plank. "Why do these things always happen to me?"

Having appeared in the middle of some steep, rocky, dangerous mountains was the ultimate joke. Almost everywhere would have been better than here, the ocean best of course. There, Gomamon would have only needed to evolve and everything would have been much easier. Gomamon could swim, Joe could get carried, but no, of course the one with fear of heights had to land in a place where there was hardly any place that was _not _higher than most skyscrapers and where was hardly enough water to drink never mind comfortable travel.

Oh, how much he wished to be anywhere else.

And Vamdemon's old caste was just _there_.

How had he been catapulted outside anyway?

* * *

><p>TK was fascinated as well as uneasy.<p>

Uneasy he was, because not matter what, labyrinths tended to be death traps in one from or another. So far, he, Cody and their partners had not stumbled over anything more dangerous than randoms rocks to stumble over, but it was also true that they had seen nothing but walls, more walls, glowing moss reflected in the inch of water covering the ground and the occasional faded art.

He was fascinated however, because no matter it being a labyrinth, it was beautiful. A strange mix of hand made walls in tune with natural growth of moss and water. It was never absolutely dark, but never too bright either, the echo of their steps and the splashing of water was sometimes eery, but other times it almost sounded like music. In this place too, there were occasional remains of claw marks in the stone, but it only added to the contradicting attraction.

A stomach grumbled. Armadimon shuffled his feet, embarrassed.

Cody sighed, tired. "We don't have anything to eat, Armadimon."

"I know," mumbled the digimon unhappily.

They continued on their way, TK trailing his right hand along the wall to their right. It was a trick about labyrinths he had heard once, though he didn't know how true it was. If keeping one hand on the wall and following it could lead them to the exit, it was worth a try. Compass they might have, but that meant little if one didn't know in which direction the exit was supposed to be.

"You know, we don't know how long we are still going to be in this place. Eventually, we are going to need something to eat," thought TK aloud.

"But we don't have anything. And we don't know it that moss might be poisonous," Cody pointed out. Truthfully, they were all getting hungry.

TK nodded. "I agree. Still. I suggest we are going to try to make due with only water for as long as possible."

"The water tastes good," informed Patamon them wisely. "If the glowing moss is growing from it, I don't think it'll be bad."

Looking at the plant in question, TK, despite the reasonably sounding argument of his partner, raised a dubious eyebrow. "I don't know. No moss I ever heard of is supposed to glow. I don't want to start glowing all of a sudden, do you?" He joked.

Patamon giggled. "I think you'd make a pretty Glowing TK."

TK smiled. "I'd rather not."

* * *

><p>"Ah, don't!"<p>

Too late. Tai dropped his head into his hand.

"What?" Demanded Matt, Gabumon stepping next him and Holsmon releasing evolution. Yolei gave him also an odd look. "What?"

"Nothing," sighed Tai. "I'm just thinking that our digivices can be tracked. And now they will know where the two of you are."

The four new arrivals traded looks. Matt brought their problem to the point. "What are you talking about? How'd you get that idea?"

Tai sighed again, running a hand through his mob of hair. "We haven't been attacked since Agumon stopped evolving and I deactivated my digivice. Before digimon were dark-evolving left and right."

"You deactivated your digivice," repeated Matt incredulously. "That's why ours don't react even now -wait."The rest of what Tai had said caught up with him. "What do you mean dark-evolving?"

Now it was Tai's turn to be puzzled. "You haven't noticed? Haven't you been attacked?"

"Not once," said Yolei, frowning. "But we have been flying fast for the last day or so. We were just deciding to take a break and were lucky to spot you. What makes you think you get attacked because of your digivice," she asked, curious.

Yolei was one with the more analytical minds of their group and Tai had little doubt that whatever conclusions she could draw from Tai's observations were more accurate than his. So he told them about Koromon village, about the random evolutions, about the more random dark evolutions, how he had been fleeing and always been found with hardly a break until Agumon was too tired to evolve and just fought as Agumon and how after that no they hadn't been attacked again.

All the while, he got his friends moving; by now he was a bit too jumpy and paranoid to just plain hope he was wrong with his assumption.

Yolei mulled the facts over, hand on her chin. "Well, since so far we haven't been attacked, maybe it has more to do with your digivice or with Agumon than it has with digivice or evolution in gene-"

She was interrupted by the crashing of trees and ominous vibrations in the soft earth. As one, all six pairs of eyes turned to the right. There was nothing to see from their position, but there was little doubt something decidedly less than friendly was around.

"Excuse me." Hawkmon flapped his wings a few times, rising over the tree lines and almost dropping straight back down again. They stared at him, Tai with a sinking feeling in his gut. Hawkmon, polite to a fault, just said. "I am inclined to agree with Taichi-san."

Bed feeling confirmed, there was only one thing to do. "Run!"

From the corners of his eyes, Tai saw how his friends scrambled to turn off their digivices as they ran down the hill.

"Hey!" Yolei exclaimed. "My D-terminal got a signal again!"

"Later! Run!"

* * *

><p>Koji was watching coldly.<p>

There was really nothing else to do.

Pretending to be the girl's partner, he stood in front of her, dispassionately. It was not the way he would prefer to spend his time, but what he preferred was very low on his list of priority. The situation he found himself in did not allow for choices of preference.

Standing still, Koji had a lot of time to think, time to plan and plan he did.

Everything would be a matter of timing and precision. He'd also need a great deal of good luck, but he was determined to not let eventual lack of it get in his way. For the grater good -internally, he snorted at the phrasing- there were things that had to be done and only Koji could do them.

So he would do them.

If that required him to watch as a girl was swallowed alive by the living fortress that was also his prison, then that was what he would do. Besides, she was mostly unconscious already. Besides, getting absorbed didn't hurt. Yet.

Biding his time, Koji, in Gatomon's shell, stood by and watched.

* * *

><p>Raihimon had covered a lot of land quickly, searching, the remnants of Koichi desiring a way away from this world. Ash coated his black armor, clinging, as he rose higher and higher, into the clouds until he was forced to conclude that there was no sky beyond the clouds. He let himself fall back down, only catching the fall when he could identify the trees by themselves.<p>

A dead world.

Raihimon, Darkness from the very core of its being spun into a powerful and noble shape, flew over the land aimlessly, only waking to care about the passing of land and time when his sharp brown eyes caught a form, solid looming and eternal so very different from everything else he had seen in this place.

His clawed feet touched the ground and data dispersed in dark light from his form. It was Koichi how raised his head up to take in the size of the building at which's front he found himself. Expressionless, he climbed the stairs and set to explore the gray and stale insides of this forgotten temple, a foreboding feeling chilling him.

* * *

><p>This is the chapter for May.<p>

Hope you like it. If you do and if you don't, leave me a review. Do you have suggestions? Critique? Likes? Dislikes? Complains?

TBC.


	41. Real World: The average day

Gryzmon = Grizzlymon

Alraumon = Aruraumon

* * *

><p>Chapter 40: Real World: The average day<p>

* * *

><p>The sun was steadily rising over Odaiba, tainting the sky orange and piercing through curtains to awake school girls who wanted to sleep some more.<p>

Jun Motomiya groaned, rolled to the side and draped her pillow over her eyes. After too short precious moments of drowsiness her alarm exploded into noise beside her head.

With a practiced motion, an arm reached out, patting around on the bedstand and fiddled with the old fashioned clock.

Blessed silence followed.

"Jun! Are you up?"

'_Or not_', the girl thought grumpily, rolling over and out of bed. She groaned, but at least falling out of bed convinced her that yes, getting up was possible now.

Reluctantly, Jun crawled out of her oh-so-warm and comfortable cocoon of blankets, groggily blinking at the distance between her and the door. And thinking of the many steps she would have to take before reaching the bathroom.

Damn, she hated early mornings.

Weak and unmotivated, Jun rolled once more, staring up at the ceiling. Where, her brain registered, a bob of color flashed across her vision, yelling, "wake up, Jun! Wake up, upupup!"

Again, with practice, Jun rolled more to the side and Hopmon grumbled, disappointed.

_'High time to get up, Jun'_, she told herself. _'The door is already so much closer. Plus if you don't, Hopmon is going to attack you and that will cost your room. Which you will have to clean up.'_

With a heartfelt exhale, Jun heaved to all fours and then to her feet. She yawned, tugging her bathrobe over her shoulder and stumbled to the door. "Don't destroy my room," she told her partner half heartily on her way out.

There was no reply and, looking back, the girl threw a foul glare at the little digimon who had fallen asleep in her still warm bed.

Stumbling, she made her way into the shower and let the cold water startle her awake.

With her clinging tiredness blown away, Jun found herself immediately in a better mood, humming as she switched the water to hot and let it run over her skin for a long moment.

Awake, however, Jun was never one for inactivity and far from enjoying a hot shower, she got bored quickly. After slipping into her bathrobe and wrapping a towel around her head, Jun passed her room again on the way down. "Breakfast, Hopmon."

There was an automatic squeak, followed by some thuds and then the little digimon caught up with her on the stairs, bouncing them down like the balloon he resembled.

(She passed Davis' room on the way; empty, cold, silent, no curses or fight over who got to use the bathroom first. Lost and gone and without word disappeared into a different and dangerous world. A world in chaos and war-)

"Good morning, sweety," her mother greeted, just putting the last dishes for breakfast on the table. "Put the paper away, dear. We are eating now."

Her father obeyed, folding the news and putting them aside. Jun just caught the headline of today: Contact still broken – where are the Ambassadors?

Jun lowered her eyes away from it, shoving food into her mouth, deliberately not looking at her parents. But, sure enough: "Have you heard anything from Davis and Veemon, Jun?"

"No. Nothing new." She hadn't checker her D-terminal yet today, but as of yesterday evening, no gate was opening and no new messages from Gennai (or anyone Gennai-like) or had arrived. Honestly, it was not that Jun expected any, though it would certainly be a nice surprise and a weight of her shoulders.

Right, she hadn't had any messages from Gennai or the first and second generation. "But I'm sure they are fine. Davis isn't new to this." She said something like this or a variant thereof very morning, too.

"I suppose so," her father conceded, not without a note of pride. "Now that Junior is there, whatever crisis they'll have is bound to disappear soon."

'_Right'_, Jun thought, still preferring eye-contact with her food over her parents. "I don't think it's that easy." Not at all, actually. "But I guess you are right. Davis has Veemon and the others are there too. They already have experience with saving the digital world after all."

Only, of course, the first generation took months to do their job the first time and just no one remembers it since it hardly amounted to more than a few days in reality and Davis had not exactly been fast with his world saving either.

Though it had definitely worked. No pressure.

Blessed be Hopmon's silence; oh, the great advantages of food. Digimon so hardly turned down a chance to talk about the legends of the Chosen Children. It amounted to bedtime stories or something.

Jun did not need that.

Nu-huh, definitely not.

"Jun, don't you have to hurry?" Her mother asked.

Taking her eyes away from her by now empty plate, Jun directed them at the nice, big kitchen clock. It proudly displayed 7:55.

Cursing, Jun jumped up and raced up the stairs. In her room she threw off her bathrobe and dropped her towel unceremoniously as she tore through her wardrobe. Two minutes later, she was clothed in jeans, a thick sweater and mismatched socks.

Notebooks and homework she had only just finished yesterday evening were carelessly shoved into a her bag, her D-Terminal and Digivice last and on top, in easy reach.

Briefly, her eyes fell on her pc and, unable to just leave, Jun cursed again, powering it up. Jun hardly gave it enough time to build the system before she pointed her device at it. "Gate open!" She demanded with all her authority and confidence.

The red sign refused to switch to green.

Feeling decidedly let down, but refusing to acknowledge it, Jun spun on her heel, leaving.

"You forgot this, Jun."

In the door way, the red head looked over her shoulder, finding her partner once more on her bed. He was holding something with his flapping limps. Jun hesitated.

Then, angry, she stomped over and pulled the goggles over her head, having them hang on her neck. She so did not want to wear them.

"Why can't someone who actually wanted them wear them?"

"Because," Hopmon exclaimed as they were hurrying the stairs down again, "they fit you best."

For all that, hearing what was not only her partner's opinion made her feel all warm and fuzzy. (And a great deal of arrogant that she was aware of and beat it ruthlessly down.) Jun was so much in over her head, it wasn't even funny.

She felt like a louse trying to stop a flood. But whatever. Best not think about it.

"I'll be back in the evening," she yelled into the house and only got a 'have fun and be careful' back before the door slammed behind her and Jun was already out on the street.

Jun's breath puffed in the winter air and, once again she was convinced winter was a season invented by the devil. To torture poor, innocent girls, because a) running in fat and heavy winter clothes would make them sweat and b) climbing over and balancing on walls-that-were-short cuts was just about impossible.

Jun didn't have a choice with either. If she didn't want to be late(er) than she already was, she had to run, if she wanted to avoid the press, she had to take ways she wouldn't be ambushed on.

That was the ugly reality.

Once the girl had successfully tiptoed over a garden wall belonging to a particular mean old lady, she dug around in her bag.

"Want this?" A silvery rectangular object was lowered in her face, the culprit always traveling on Jun's head (as apparently it was the only thing guaranteed not to be forgotten and because he could see the most from there). "You got lots of new messages."

Jun breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks. I almost thought I forgot it." Which would mean she would have had to turn around and pick it up, because Jun could not just afford to be out of contact for a day.

Habitually, she flipped the useful device open and checked her D-terminal inbox. Three new messages from Daniel, one from Noriko, several round mails, two from Michael and, as expected, no messages from Gennai or First and Second generation. Not even Izzy. Jun didn't know if she was supposed to be grateful or resenting. On the one hand, no new (bad) information, on the other hand, no new information.

Jun didn't know exactly when, but she guessed that a few days ago, when the genius had literally been in the internet and therefore visible on anything remotely being connected to the world wide net, he had, between whatever else he had done, send a lot of information out. Information of the kind that should not necessarily be shared and that Jun had received. He had likely done it, Izzy's friend from the US, Daniel, had explained so that the real world's DigiDestined would not be unprepared for if the fighting for one reason or another could not be contained to the digital world. (Jun preferred not to think about that...)

Problem was, he had only sent it only to a very few of the Third Generation, Jun being one of those.

Shuu Kido was another and Jun was incredibly grateful that she was not the only one to bear that responsibility even though it still turned out to be her who called the shots with the Third Generation.

Even now, she wasn't sure how she got landed in that role.

Hopmon had said something or another about that, but the girl had stopped listening somewhere after the first sentence, too busy telling others what to do and what not to do.

But seriously, why her? She was not the responsible or the leader type.

Even weirder was that she was actually listened to. Even by those who were years older than her.

Probably, she thought darkly, they just didn't want to deal with all that stress and pressure.

Speaking of which: Mostly, Jun hated that the judgment of what to do with all the knowledge fell to her.

Spread it? Nu-huh. If the humans couldn't even accept a digital world, then they could never accept a second human world. (Interdimensional war, a cynical voice whispered.) That there were possibly other versions of each and every one of them running around somewhere was frightening enough without taking a look at the examples. Jun didn't particularly want to recall all the details, but fact was that each and every one of these other, foreign Chosen Children was dead; here, in this world.

Not a nice thought. At all.

That, Jun had decided, was to be kept silent.

Humans literally turning into digimon? Same. Though she did give a cautiously edited version to the Third Generation.

The little fact that the chaos in the Digital World came from just as beyond? Once more, better to be kept silent.

The actual truth and all facts about what the situation really was like and how it didn't look good at all? Jun was still thinking about that. But if the rumor mill continued the way it was going, then the truth would soon become one of the more positive scenarios.

Seriously, as if people didn't have better things to do.

Quickly, she punched a reply to Noriko (Jun didn't know what she would do without the girl), then jumped down from the wall, landing on the school grounds. With a cautious glance she confirmed that for now, the back of the school grounds were still perfectly from the press.

With that motivating thought, Jun started on the next part over her unwanted job that could be done before lessons; check DigiDestined discussion forums.

"Hey Jun, hi Hopmon. Have a good morning?"

Jun glanced with half an eye up from her D-terminal to a boy with reddish brown hair and dark brown eyes, which currently held some mixture of curiosity, sympathy and teasing. "What do you think?"

"I think a problem shared is a problem halved," he said, promptly, before he grimaced slightly. "Not that it seems to be much good lately."

"Actually you can," she said. "This forum here," she held him her terminal under the nose as they hurried to their classroom. "Post some things to calm them down, Kenji. It has not even been a week and they are completely losing their heads up in Hokkaido."

Kenji dug out his own terminal and copied the link. "Sure." As he read, Jun was not surprised to see his frown deepen. "I see what you mean. A house divided can't stand."

Blowing out a breath of relief at having that covered, Jun started around a corner, stumbling when Hopmon jumped from her head to a windowsill and out the first story into a tree. Lots of squeaking and branch shaking followed.

Jun didn't even pause in her stride, assuming her partner found some other digimon on the grounds to play with. Probably Kenji's partner, Budmon.

Hopmon was very lively, as it was usual for In-training digimon, but unlike most, he also had an edge to his playfulness that was a too aggressive for some. Not everyone liked him. But Budmon was his best friend because not many digimon would play with him either, due to the large stingers the little botanical digimon had growing from his head. That those stingers were exactly what made Hopmon like playing with his friends so much, was something Jun was not sure she was happy she understood so well.

* * *

><p>"Are we doing teamwork training again today?" A voice asked from behind Jun, the sound of the 'door' to the 'changing room' getting closed almost making the soft voice inaudible.<p>

Jun tied her shoes, and then pulled a comfortable sports shirt over her head, anticipation making her twitchy. Training was fun, active. "Yeah. Why?"

Noriko hesitated for a moment, unsure, before shrugging with one shoulder. "I just thought maybe it'd be better if we do some one-on-one training. Since we can't always be sure there are going to be others with us."

Spelling what she thought unedited right out. Jun admired that a great deal. It took lots of courage and was yet another point why Jun felt grossly unfit for the position she held here in Japan. Noriko didn't have much confidence in herself, but she never shrunk back from things other people didn't even want to think about. Jun included.

"Right." The red head sighed and a hand went up to fiddle with the goggles on her neck. Jun hadn't wanted to think about it, so she hadn't, so she hadn't included it in training. The worst case. The very thing these now far more intense training sessions were supposed to be for. "But one against one is what our partners do all the time. They call it playing, but it counts for the same."

Noriko nodded, agreeing. "But I was thinking of In-training against Rookies one on one." He black eyes darted to meet Jun's before flickering somewhere off to the side. "That way the younger ones would need to get more creative to score a hit. And it's not like bubbles are much good against champion level. Or higher. No matter how much bubbles they make," her voice gained an almost bitter edge to it.

She had thought about this. No, more likely she recalled some unwelcome memories and those memories made her think about the worst case.

Right. She looked at Noriko, the desire to do better, to be better, to help and protect and the fear of what might come spelled never far from her lately. _'Pull yourself together, Jun. You are relied on. And right now, your friend needs you. Don't be weak!'_

Suddenly, feeling not ready for what was expected of her was very small and unimportant.

Noriko had trouble holding eye-contact, but she managed to stare at Jun now. "We haven't heard anything in almost half a week and the last thing was Izzy hacking in the internet and then leaving to the other side. If he left to go there and didn't come back to us, knowing how we would be left hanging, how bad is it on the other side?"

Jun had been thinking along those lines as well, but... "That doesn't matter," she said, as confidently as she could, determinedly. "We are training now and all around doing whatever we can. The real world has been left to us, one way or another. What kind of Chosen Children would we be if we didn't rise to the occasion? We will protect this world. And," she grinned, with a bit of a smirk, "We have our partners. What else are they good for? I know I don't put up with Hopmon for his good manners."

That at least got a flicker of amusement from Noriko, her closed of expression melting into something softer and a small smile.

"Let's go!" Jun proclaimed. "Can't keep my dear followers waiting." She threw the door open with a loud screech of the rusted metal work and it smacked against the wall. Very efficiently, Jun had gotten all, maybe one hundred, pairs of eyes on her. "We are doing something different today! Everyone organize after highest evolution. Rookies there, In-training there and Fresh over there." Pointing in different corners of the abandoned warehouse, Jun was pleased to note that her directions were followed and both Noriko and she joined the Rookies.

The largest cluster of digimon and humans was the In-training group. No surprise there. They had no one with Champion level here. The numbers were somewhat odd, but well... Everyone had their digivices in hand.

Taking a deep breath, Jun continued with her explanation. "We are going to do some more fighting today. The In-training group-"

Training proceeded as normal after that; definitely chaotic, fun, loud and challenging. Digimon were at least in part programmed to fight and pulling punches wasn't in their nature. Which was different from going all out, but bumps and bruises and some tears -for that, everyone had always their digimon's favorite sweets along; nothing better to dry tears- by the younger ones were expected.

Everything proceeded as normal for maybe the first hour.

"Poisoned Thorns!" Budmon exclaimed loudly, bouncing forward, jumping just before he came into the range of Monodramon's claws from one container to the wall and pushing off like a bouncing ball at Monodramon's exposed back.

It was the best move of today yet, but even as a spike of worry reflexively shot through Jun, Monodramon turned and hit his friend with the back of his claw. Budmon was smacked into the ground, none too kindly.

"Budmon!" Kenji shouted, the worry and fear all too real. Then his digivice started glowing. Then Budmon's crumbled form started glowing.

All activity, digimon and humans alike, came to a stop, staring.

"Budmon. Digivolve to," the little digimon's voice was heard with that automatic and somewhat monotone announcement of evolution. "Alraumon!"

The light receded, revealing Kenji's partner's new form.

Jun stared, then blinked, perplexed. _'Alraumon?_'

Apparently she wasn't the only one to have some trouble processing what she saw, because someone else from the staring masses spoke. "Alraumon? Are you sure you didn't mix something up? Cause that's a Palmon."

Kenji still has trouble closing his mouth, so there was no proverb smacked back into anyone's face, but Alraumon huffed and crossed his leafy arms. "Are you blind? Of course I'm an Alraumon."

Jun wished she had something to say to that, but all she saw was a Palmon. Therefore: she turned a pleading gaze to Noriko, who almost immediately noticed the eyes on her. The younger girl took off and fetched her laptop.

Seeing a fight might just break out between that loudmouthed boy, the still overly energized and vivacious Alraumon, Jun whistled sharply. "How about we wait for Noriko to let her digianalyzer run," she suggested with a tone that made it clear she wasn't suggesting at all.

The boy grumbled something, but was more than satisfied with waiting. Alraumon wasn't, bouncing in place and Monodramon was just as interested, sniffing the air around the newly evolved digimon and not waiting before throwing himself back at his friend in a playful brawl.

Hundred people can only be silent for so long and everyone broke out into whispers, some exited, some envious, Kenji's slack jawed expression was slowly turning into a goofy grin and Jun allowed herself a grin of her own.

Things did work. _'See? It will all turn out alright.'_

Kenji's Alraumon, who was a legitimate evolution indeed and not a Palmon, was only the first of half a dozen evolutions that day.

* * *

><p>Jun felt like the most tired person on this side of the galaxy, dragging her feet along the oh so long way back home. How much would she give for just a short break; leaning against a wall, a few deep breaths... But it wasn't that simple; just the thought of that kind of inactivity made her skin itch. Stillness had never sat well with Jun (early mornings the lone exception).<p>

...taking a bus still would have been nice...given their nature, there were no buses or trains or hell, ships passing by abandoned warehouses to ride home and so, after three grueling hours of directing people of (almost) all ages and dodging attacks and helping her partner fight, Jun was at the end of her usually dependable energy.

At least she didn't have to carry Hopmon.

She was hungry and tired and dirty and miserable and the bags she had dumped on Monodramon to carry were way too heavy, even just by their presence and she licked her dry lips to taste soap.

Urgh.

_'Happy thoughts, Jun. Think happy thoughts.'_

Like how great it was to have three more Rookie level digimon around and three more In-Training digimon and how Noriko's partner has evolved into a Gryzmon (first Champion!), no matter how funny a coincidence of all it happening almost at once was.

Or dinner.

Dinner sounded real good right about now.

Jun's stomach growled, the only sound this late in the evening on the streets in their neighborhood.

Or almost the only sound. Monodramon's stomach seemed to be just as empty as Jun's. "I'm hungry," stated to her partner.

"Hmm." It wasn't far anymore. "I hope Mom made a lot today." Her mouth watered. "I don't even care what."

Monodramon pattered a few steps ahead, going faster. "Maybe if I eat a lot, I can evolve just like Bearmon." Jun's partner was not one to be sentimental or even emotional beyond anything at face value, but right now, he sounded just that.

Jun's dead mind dredged up some coherent thought. "You are plenty strong already."

"But not strong enough," said the walking lizard with vehemence. "Not strong enough to protect you yet."

Jun felt absolutely empty, but still fixed her partner with as evil a look as she managed. "If you think I'm ever just gonna let you protect me and, I don't know, hide behind some paper bin, Alraumon hit you too hard on the head. Or his toxins blew out your brain."

Monodramon stared at her with wide, round eyes. "But I'm here to protect you."

Unlocking the little gate to their property, Jun made a strangled sound at the back of her throat. "I don't care. About Chosen or whatever. You are my digidestined partner," she closed gate behind Mondramon's tail, "but you are also my very best friend." She yawned, ringing the bell and not having the energy to dig out another key. "As if I'd ever leave you to fend for yourself." The door opened. "Hi Mom. What's for dinner?"

Later, unable to be still even in the bathtub, Jun ticked down the final things she had to do that day before she could drop dead in her bed; a couple round mails, asking if her group was the only one with seven new evolutions within the span of three hours, browsing the latest anti-digimon propaganda, doing homework and checking the digital gate.

...All in all, more than what Jun thought manageable, but she'd do it anyway.

Jun Motomiya was a carefree girl.

Nothing could keep her down for long. Be it her crush's obvious interest in another or her brother's latest traceless disappearance into the digital world or something lowly as _stress and pressure_.

* * *

><p>This is the chapter for June.<p>

It is also the first chapter published with the help of my new beta **smfan**. Many thanks!

This chapter is a look into what is going on in the real world without the Digidestined and how things are dealt with. Jun is my first choice of character for this, because while she was totally annoying in the first part of 02, she also isn't stupid. And there is nothing wrong with being a spirited girl. I wanted to expand on that, rather than to create an OC or use even-less-scree-time Shuu Kido or Noriko.

Be so kind as to leave your opinion.

TBC...


	42. Digital World: Dark Evolution XI

Chapter 41: Digital World: Dark Evolution XI

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><p><em>Send: 58 hours ago<em>

To everyone,

Don't use your Digivices! They get tracked somehow. Digimon are dark evolving and attacking us left and right when they notice our presence. Are we the only ones? Does anyone know how they are able to do that? We've been able to get by without fighting for the last few days. Let's all meet up at the castle again. The six of us are on the way and still lots of days' worth of travel away, to the south east. We have nothing but a few scratches.

From Tai, Yolei, Matt, Agumon, Hawkmon and Gabumon

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><p><em>Send: 53 hours ago<em>

To everyone,

The Digivices?! No wonder we've been running none stop and if it weren't for Veemon we would have been caught like last year. XVeemon has evolved to AeroVedramon! Get that! We got a couple of close calls, but it's no problem. No worries with us. At our speed it'll take only a couple more days back the castle. AeroVedramon is too fast to get tracked, so using digivice is fine! Hah! I think. It has been fine so far. Not even scratches (anymore)!

From Davis, Veemon and Tommy

Ps: does anyone know why the D-terminals are working again?

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><p><em>Send: 44 hours ago<em>

To everyone,

I don't think it's only the Digivices that are tracked. I haven't used mine in days and Takuya and I have hardly been getting a few moments of rest. Was anyone aware of an Ancient Civilization living underground? We stumbled over it separately. We've been calling it Fire Sect. They are devoted to an ancient Sovereign. Zhuqiaomon. They are fire element fanatics and have racism against other types, but they are removed from enemy control due to a special kind of force field. We have managed to talk them into accepting refugees, though don't expect kind treatment. Pass that along if anyone is at refugee camps. Also, they have been hunting us thinking that my partner is their god reborn. Deal with caution.

We have managed to deal so far, we don't need help. We could be better off, but better worry about yourselves and each other.

Still near the Vulcan Fields, but we'll be at the castle.

From Sora and Takuya.

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><p><em>Send: 44 hours ago<em>

To everyone,

The tracking through digivice is an interesting theory. As evidence shows, there is something to it as since we got the message and tired it, we have not been attacked once, which has been relatively regular previously to it. Has Sora completely deactivated her digivice? That might be able to get tracked as well. If you have and you are still found, I suspect it is more likely that out of your group, it is Takuya who gets located and therefore attacks follow. It is only just a theory still, though. Incidentally, where is Kari? Dark Evolutions have not occurred before we came to the Digital world, which was quickly followed by us getting scattered (the exact timing is difficult to pinpoint, however it falls roughly into the same time frames at the very least, the odds of it being a coincidence stand small). Evolution is of the Light Element. Though they have had Koji (Warrior of Light) for weeks already, this has only just started. Unless Kari is reading this right now, I stress that the chances of Dark Evolutions happening by coincidence shortly after we have lost contact with our chosen one of Light are small.

Dark Evolution is a form of forced evolution that occurs not only though Darkness, but also still through Light. However as we don't know everything about it, it might also be connected to Koichi. Does anyone know where he is? From the amount of information I have at the moment, either of the two being connected to Dark Evolution is most likely.

We have left the Grand Desert behind towards the North West. From our current position to Vamndemon's former castle it'll take us at our current speed about a month. We'd greatly appreciate it if someone fast could pick us up. So far we have no broken bones to report, however Ken and Wormmon do have concussions.

It is as of yet unknown why the D-terminals have not worked.

From Izzy, Ken, Tentomon and Wormmon

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><p><em>Send: 42 hours ago<em>

Why is everyone so far away from us and why are we all alone? First we almost got trampled by a wave of annoying SkullMammon and then there is this stupid heavy box that reacted to my digivice but didn't do anything else and is heavy to carry and then we have nothing to eat any more with the lunches from Mrs. Izumi gone and my feet hurt. I haven't walked this much ever and there are no showers here and no basic body care materials, like always, and I'm sick and tired of this. How are we gonna end this stupid fight?

From distressed Mimi and Palmon who are fine

Ps: How did we end up this scattered anyway?

* * *

><p><em>Send: 40 hours ago<em>

Izzy,

What do you mean? What has happened to Kari? Are you saying they have captured her? She is too smart for that! Would they need to capture her? Can't they maybe have just stolen her crest?

Tai

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><p>S<em>end: 39 hours ago<em>

To everyone,

Though I can't be sure, there is a chance, however unlikely, of a technical difficulty that has caused our separation. There is also the chance of a trap, an accident or similarities. We'll have to ask Gennai for details. Be cautious. Incidentally, has anyone else noticed how all gates are completely locked down? No one can enter the digital world and no one can exit.

To Tai,

The crests we have are in the end nothing more than an object created to fit our greatest characteristics. Compared to her in person, the crest has smaller value. Especially since we are talking about something as elemental as evolution. But it's only a worst-scenario theory. It is also well possible that Kari cannot reply out of simpler reasons and that the enemy has found ways to force evolution in completely alien ways as they come from a different dimension.

To Mimi and Palmon,

What box? Can you send a picture and describe it? Size, weight, substance, etc.? Why did you pick it up? Have you noticed anything about it? How does it compare to the black box we already have?

From Ken and Izzy

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><p><em>Send: 24 hours ago<em>

To everyone,

Before we can do much of anything, we need to regroup. We need to find Kari. Know where she is. And the others; TK and Cody are also still unaccounted for. As are Joe and Koichi. And we need information. We can't do anything like this. Don't even know where the enemy is. Also, we can't challenge the army in a head on fight. We need to go around the main force and strike where it hurts. For that, freeing Takuya's friends is the top priority; it will stop them from controlling digimon and therefore take care of how outnumbered we are. The how there is a problem. I'm open to ideas since the last try didn't really work out.

From Tai

* * *

><p>T.K looked up from the list of messages at Cody. The younger boy finished reading the storm of missed messages a few moments later, after which he met T.K's eyes. If T.K understood the context right, it wasn't only that their D-terminals didn't connect because they were too deep underground but also because they for some reason just plain hadn't worked for some time. Though having been too deep underground also seemed to play a role since the two of them only just now received the round mails that have been send over the past few days and <em>what was T.K thinking about?<em>

Kari. Dark Evolution.

Battles, fighting.

So much danger that Ex-Veemon evolved higher.

_Kari._

Kari was getting used to violate digimon in the worst way possible. Dark Evolution. T.K felt sick just thinking about it. He hated, really, really _hated_ Darkness. But what he hated most was the evil in it.

Using Kari-

T.K felt his anger stir awake. "What are we going to do?"

"We have to get him."

Angry as he was, T.K still didn't allow himself not to agree. He hated Darkness and evil, particularly if those two appeared together – and he still wasn't quite convinced there was a way for them not to-, but however much he did, he could never bring himself to abandon anyone to it.

The Digimon Kaiser had received what he had asked for, meddling with the powers. Koichi was more and closer to Darkness than Ken ever had been, however unlike the Kaiser, the other dark haired teen did not have any choice to choose or not to choose. Not anymore than T.K had had a choice in being the Chosen Child of the Crest of Hope.

However, even that did not make TK eager.

The chamber the two boys had stumbled upon in their quest for an exit was clearly created for the sole purpose of show casting a gleaming, wet looking surface at the far end of the room, raised upon a set of stairs. The chamber was as big as two houses, the exiting tunnels wide enough for most sizes of beings.

They had hoped to finally find an exit as the floors were no longer wet, the passage ways widening, but instead they had found this.

The blond looked at the pool of Darkness embedded like a mirror in a wall. Looked at the gray -dead- stone and the ash floating in the air even when there was no sky to fall from. It was a scene so very unlike the moss lit space the Chosen Children and their two partners stood in and so horribly familiar that TK had to suppress a shiver of dread.

He looked at the person beyond the transparent sheen who was sitting on stairs too large to have been made by human hand, head in his hands, fingers twisted in his hair.

T.K knew just from one look what he was seeing. "It's the Dark Ocean," he said, for only Kari, Tailmon, Ken, Patamon and T.K himself had ever gotten a clear look at the parallel world.

Cody accepted that with a nod and no further reaction. The younger boy was very steady, something T.K respected a great deal about him. Cautiously, Cody put a hand to the picture. It slipped through like there was no resistance at all and Cody quickly pulled back. Patamon on T.K's head shivered.

Sending a quick report about their and Koichi's situation, TK put his D-terminal away and willed himself to think about the present only. There was nothing else he could do right now.

"It seems at the very least that we can go through," the younger boy mused. From the corner of his eyes, he traded a wary look, then very, very carefully put his hand back through, let it swallow his arm and, hesitantly up to his shoulder.

T.K pressed his teeth together and took hold on the back of Cody's clothes. There could not be made too many precautions when dealing with darkness; the blond really didn't want to do this, didn't even want to be in the same room as a connection to the dark world, but that didn't matter. He may not even like Koichi, but that too didn't matter.

They had to try this, they had to get him. Not only because they needed his help for the fighting and the digital world, but because_ Koichi needed help_.

He was sitting in a way that screamed defeat, in a terrible world, their voices didn't reach him. He showed no sign of moving when he clearly should. Maybe he didn't even get the messages through the D-terminal.

_Or maybe_, TK thought morbidly,_he no longer can read. Or think._

Maybe he was already dead.

T.K put nothing past Darkness, up to and including harming its own host. Ken was proof.

And in the end, that was not Koichi's fault. T.K felt a bit of his resentment ebb away at the thought.

"How are you, Cody?" Armadimon asked worriedly from where he was sitting at their feet, eyes wide.

Cody was about to put his head through the mirror gate. He frowned a bit. "It's fine. It's warm, I think. It feels stale." They could see the part of Cody that had already slipped through with no problem, his hand weaving through the air cautiously. Even that move didn't cause any motion to the flakes of ash.

"That's the Dark Ocean. Every thing is like that. It makes you feel like the only living thing in the world."

Cody shivered, but bravely took a step forward and was all but swallowed by the mirror. T.K had to take a step forward and the hand connected to Cody slipped through. The comfortable warmth, such a contrast from the cool tunnels they have spent the last days in, was revolting and made his skin crawl, but Cody seemed fine and, eerily soundless, gestured for T.K to let go of his clothes.

Reluctantly, the blond did, pulling his hand back. Now the two of them stood in two different worlds yet hardly more than a few feet apart. Cody reached out with a hand and the surface shimmered, before the hand reached through.

T.K breathed a sigh of relief. Already, he felt tired. Emotional anxiety was draining, but at the very least they seemed to have a real stable gate, accessible from both sides and without time lag.

Swallowing his distaste, T.K took the steps forward as well. Just as a fail save, he took his hat and put it half through the mirror back, marking the place of the gate as, and TK found he was unsurprised, there was no visible sign of its existing in this place. For all that it looked like, the four of them had stepped out of a solid wall.

"Darkness likes to trick and lie," Patamon said solemnly and somewhat sadly.

"I know," said TK quietly. "It makes me wonder how anyone drawing from it, _hosting_ it can be trusted." He sighed. "But that isn't really the point, is it, Patamon?"

"Nu-uh," Patamon agreed as they both watched Cody shake Koichi's shoulders, Armadimon shoving against the dark haired boy and not getting a reaction. "Darkness is difficult, never easy and most of the time corrupted," the little digimon spoke with confidence and wisdom beyond his years, "Evil likes it and if there were ever to be a host responsible for it, then they too would have to balance on a blade's edge, for falling in either direction or cutting themselves means failing and corrupting. Darkness is Darkness and it must never be anything more than what it is. Which it usually is."

T.K wanted to either sigh or throw something.

"He isn't reacting, TK," Cody called, a hand on Koichi's shoulder. "What do we do?"

Patamon took off and flapped over to the dark haired boy's head, sitting down there and pulling on the hair with some noise. Without effect.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I think maybe we should first of all leave the Dark Ocean. I don't think it's good for him or safe for us."

Cody nodded. The chamber they were in was almost an exact counterpart to the one they had come from, except for the half missing walls revealing the gray outside... The edges of the still standing parts of the wall were smooth and precise, like they were cut with a diamond. They looked fresh. The landscape outside was crater riddled.

Together they dragged Koichi's unmoving body -empty, but still blinking eyes, breathing, slack- over to the part of the wall that was the gate and just when T.K had begun to hope against his better expectation that there was not going to be trouble, he caught sight of Koichi's shadow.

T.K stared at it, a bad feeling setting in his gut, but for the life of him, he could not pinpoint the source. It was only a shadow. It didn't move out of sync or away from the ground, he ran a list down, it also wasn't bigger than it ought to be-

They walked through the gate with little problem, T.K not pulling his gaze away from the ground and it was only when the green moss of the other side gave them solid, natural light, that he realized.

The breath escaped him in a sharp hiss. "Get away from him!"

On command, reflex honed, there was little hesitation as all scrambled to obey, getting as far away as possible. T.K clutched his Digivice. He had not let go of it since he had set sight on the gate, but now he raised it in preparation. A faint glow emitted from it.

Koichi had fallen limp to the ground, unresponsive.

Cody looked hesitant and confused as he stood at the opposite wall of the chamber from T.K, digivice similarly in hand and Armadimon defensively in front of him.

Koichi didn't move. Nothing moved.

TK didn't let the shadow out of his eyes.

"TK?" Cody asked, confused.

"Look at the shadow," TK prompted. "In the Dark Ocean, there hadn't been enough light to make one, but Koichi still had one. I only noticed when the moss made our shadows."

Cody narrowed his eyes at the teen, eyes sharp. Lying as he was, the shadow was hardly visible. "Are you sure that's a bad thing?" He swallowed. "I mean, maybe because he is Darkness he always has a shadow. Would that be odd?"

TK's eyes flashed to the younger boy. Cody avoided his stare, keeping his eyes on Koichi and there was silence for a while, disturbed only by their breathing and the TK's heartbeat in his ears.

Koichi didn't move. TK forced his eyes closed.

Was it possible?

No, it wasn't, was TK's instinctive reply, but that was no answer.

Unwilling, he thought about it. Why did he think it wasn't possible? Because it was Darkness. Because Darkness was not to be trusted. But there was more...

….because TK could not think that it may not be so. Because he could not think that Darkness might not be plotting their demise right now.

TK was unable to think like that, but it didn't mean it wasn't possible and that was what mattered for this.

It went against all his instincts, against all his good sense, but maybe, just maybe, he, TK, was not the best to deal with Koichi. Not the best judge.

He could not be impartial.

That meant he was not fair, ever, where Darkness was concerned. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

TK opened his eyes. "I don't know. What do you think, Cody? I can't look at this rationally."

Cody pressed his lips in a line, but understanding as he was, didn't comment. TK's conflict with Darkness was no secret, but only very few knew how to deal with it. Cody was one and he did it being neither acknowledging nor dwelling on it. "I don't know either. But even if it isn't natural, he isn't really doing anything. And we still need to get out of here." Cody lowered his Digivice and took cautious steps towards Koichi.

No reaction.

"How long has he been like this? How do we get him to respond? He can't eat or drink like this. When was the last time he had either?"

The shift in subject was subtle but welcome and TK forced himself to focus on it. "Maybe Gennai will know something. Or one of the other Spirit Holders." TK pulled out his D-terminal and sent off another quick report. He noted his inbox. "It might take some time till we get an answer. What should we do in the meantime?"

Cody frowned. "It doesn't really make a difference if Koichi is awake or not. We have to get out of here and meet the others at the castle."

TK ran a hand through his hair, only then noticing his lack of hat. He picked it up, then turned his digivice towards Patamon. "We can't carry him all the way. We're counting on you, Patamon."

His little partner looked proud. "Leave it to me, TK!" He beamed, just as Cody shouted, "No! Don't!"

TK's digivice flashed, but he just managed to break off before he caused evolution. "What?"

Cody pulled Koichi's limp body up to his shoulder. "Have you forgotten? They said our digivice get tracked!"

His stomach dropped. "Right. I forgot. Sorry."

The younger boy shrugged it away and TK went to help him carry the third human member of their team. If Koichi wasn't going to wake up, they were not going to make it far, probably.

For the past few days, they had survived on water and the moss, but it wasn't substantial and TK felt weak. How long could they carry a limp body around with them under these circumstances?

Whatever ground they were going to cover, it was not going to be much. And the worst thing was that even if they made it out of this labyrinth, they would have to continue carrying Koichi if he didn't get better. Above ground, they might not even have anything to eat or drink available. Already, there was no water standing in the corridors anymore and the boys had counted on moving swiftly and efficiently out of this place. They couldn't do that anymore.

Still, they did not whine or complain. As much as TK still wanted to, he didn't blame Koichi either. It didn't cross his mind leaving him behind, if only temporary.

Because it was necessary. Because it was their duty. Because overcoming hurdles was what they had been chosen for.

It was not the first time that TK faced the prospect of going hungry or thirsty. As a kid in a desert, he had starved and longed for water.

It was that memory that TK recalled to the forefront of his mind as they struggled onwards. _This_ was still easy, _this_ was still comfortable. It was nothing compared to then.

Trials and challenges to overcome was the life of a Digidestined. Possibly this too. The challenge of his own temper and the goodness of his heart was always in conflict when Darkness was brought up to matter and TK felt that all-consuming cold anger that, in Cody's words, made him seem like a different person. TK had to overcome that.

Why else was he, out of all people, one of the people who had to help the host of Darkness.

To overcome his hate.

Did TK even want to?

He couldn't even say. He hated, hated Darkness. Hate was easy to feel, stable. Safe.

If he started not to hate, then he'd become soft. A weakness Darkness would not hesitate to exploit.

Just the very thought made him shudder and reject the thought. And in another uneasy realization, he understood it was because he _feared._

And how much he feared, _Patamon, Angemon - blackness, night, feathers death-_

TK hated because the alternative was to fear. Fear it more than even Ken or Kari. If he feared it, he was too afraid to attack it. He couldn't destroy it.

No, TK could not stop hating Darkness.

But maybe...

He shifted Koichi's weight hanging on his shoulder, careful not to disturb Patamon from where he was resting.

But maybe he could make an exception for Koichi. Koichi didn't chose this and Darkness in its purest form, as Koichi was supposed to be, he was not _evil_.

TK didn't _want_ to hate.

Maybe he could-

The arm over his shoulder twitched and stiffened. Kochi's entire body jerked and then TK was violently shoved into a wall, hitting his head. Patamon let loose an alarmed squeak, Armadimon growled and TK heard Cody shout.

His sight swam and his head beat painfully as TK instinctively crouched to a more mobile position on the floor, his digivice at hand. One then did enough awareness return to take the situation in.

He was separated from Cody, the younger boy a dozen steps down the corridor in an equally alarmed position. Armadimon growled from in front of him.

Patamon was by TK's side, braced on all fours and for once looking aggressive at his target.

Koichi posed one of the eeriest sights the blond had ever seen.

His feet were rooted to the ground, but he swayed back and forth, like a drunk. His head was titled up, expression hardly visible, yet there were little jerks shaking his body that spoke of great pain even if he didn't actually made a single sound.

TK had let his guard down.

The shadow was no longer obediently following Koichi's every move. Instead it slowly creeped up his legs, tinting his clothes and inky black, darker than the most moonless night.

But that wasn't the scariest. The parts of Koichi's body longest covered by that shadow started to deform, grow, change. Unevenly. One of Koichi's feet had become big and bulky, bony. A vague shape of a skull started to become apparent. Something reddish grew out of a blackened hand.

TK's instincts screamed at him and before he could think, he had flashed his digivice in front of him, making it glow brightly.

No evolution, half to his own surprise, but he didn't allow himself to break off even if this might bring enemies down on their heads. Some little voice that was always positive whispered that _at least then they would know the way out._

Koichi screamed.

It was an awful sound, distorted; a low growl yet at the same time a high screech full of pain.

Yet TK didn't let off. He couldn't say why, at least not at first. For all that he did hate, he never, even in his darkest moments, wanted to cause pain, yet that was exactly what he did.

But then he noticed the disturbing jerking had stopped and that the hands rushing to hold his head moved fluidly and naturally. The shadow grayed and faded away.

It left Koichi behind. Koichi stood, panting, trembling, but out of his own violation.

TK was not sure what he had just done. Not even if it was good or bad.

* * *

><p><em>Send: 3 hours ago<em>

To everyone,

Cody, Patamon, Armadimon and I are fine. We are stuck somewhere deep underground and have only just now gotten reception to our D-terminals. We don't know where we are, not even vaguely. The GPS function is as of yet not working. There was a giant temple, styled like the Maya. Does anyone know something about this? Armadimon seemed somewhat familiar with it in a different way from Patamon, though he couldn't remember. Inside the temple we have found an object called 'Xuanwumon's Ninth' that stored itself inside Cody's D-terminal. It's not working like a Digimental. Searching for a way out, we have been wandering a labyrinth for the past few days. Now we have found a chamber that has what seems to be a relatively stable gate to the Dark Ocean. Koichi is on the other side, though his exact state is unconfirmed. We will recover him and hopefully report again shortly.

From TK, Patamon, Cody and Armadimon

* * *

><p><em>Send: 2.5 hours ago<em>

To everyone,

We have recovered Koichi. However he is unresponsive, though he seems to be awake; things like breathing normal and blinking are all normal. He just doesn't move or respond in any way. More pressing, is it part of his element that he has a shadow even when the light conditions should not make one?

From TK, Patamon, Cody and Armadimon

* * *

><p><em>Send: minutes ago<em>

To everyone,

We have recovered Koichi from the Dark Ocean and after some short problems everything is fine now. I used my digivice, but so far we have not been attacked, though maybe that is due to us being underground (don't know how far, don't know where) and there are no digimon to dark evolve near us or there is a different reason. Do our Digivices get only detected when we are using them for evolution or in other cases as well? TK didn't use his for evolution. Those things considered, we are wondering, is there a chance that with Koichi's dark element the light of a digivice may be covered and made undetectable if Digivices are getting tracked by every usage?

From TK, Patamon, Cody, Armadimon and Koichi.

* * *

><p>This is the beta-ed version. Many thanks to smfan. :)<p>

Do you have suggestions? Critique? Likes? Dislikes? Complains? Things you noticed?

TBC.


	43. Digital World: Dark Evolution Final

Garmmon=KendoGarurumon

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><p>Chapter 42: Digital World: Dark Evolution Final<p>

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><p>The girl didn't look good.<p>

The bits and parts of her that very still visible, that is. Her arms were swallowed by black mass, her torso was only a hair's breath -maybe a few hours- away from following, her head was absorbed pas her ears, up to the cheeks. She hardly looked human any more.

The digimon whose body Koji had borrowed, with her consent at the time, was getting more and more fanatic as time passed, even though since Koji had taken her body, she wasn't even conscious enough to form coherent thoughts.

It said a great deal about the connection between digimon and their partners. Stuck as closely to one of them as he was, Koji wondered what it would be like, having someone connected to him like that. Koji had his Spirits and Koichi and he couldn't imagine something closer or more connected than that, but that was the thing.

What was it like, caring so much about someone who wasn't connected by digital or real flesh and blood?

The others didn't count.

They had their own Spirits and the friendship that was between them had always been prompted by the ages their Spirits had spent together. Not that they had known that for a long time. Not that it was a bad thing.

But it was different and Koji was curious about this bond that hadn't had as much time to grow and was still strong enough to influence Koji's normal calm and clear state of mind.

Or at least that was what he told himself to keep his thoughts away from the nervous, almost panic like anxiousness that was swamping him from Gatomon.

Distraction wise, it didn't help much.

Koji didn't even have enough emotional space left for his own mounting tension.

The time was running short.

He tried to twitch a finger.

* * *

><p><em>Send: minutes ago<em>

To TK, Patamon, Cody, Armadimon (and Koichi, if you are there),

I don't know about that shadow thing, but if you want to know if something isn't right with Koichi, there is a very simple test. Simple. If I were you, I wouldn't try it unless there was really no other choice, though. It's dangerous. Make him evolve. If he evolves to Duskmon or Velgemon run for the hills and yes, there was something wrong. (I wouldn't bet on you coming out alive otherwise.) I'd really, really say you better only do that when there is enough force around to subdue him, though. Maybe once we all met up at the castle. Seriously.

From Takuya and Sora

* * *

><p>"This isn't exactly good news," TK said, flipping his D-terminal shut, "and it doesn't really help us either."<p>

Cody had his knees pulled up to this chest, his back resting against a wall as they rested on the cold stones of the ruins. "He doesn't seem to be fine even without this test. We don't really know him well, but this isn't normal for anyone."

"But then, he isn't exactly human," pointed TK out, even though he did agree. "I don't know if it's normal for some digimon."

The younger boy stared at Koichi, flickers of guilt and regret crossing his face. "Right."

They rested in silence for a while, TK's thoughts turning around his own feelings on the failure of all of them. Like the others, TK hadn't known it was possible to quite literally lose their humanity, but when it had come out, he had, beyond the shock and guilt, been angry. Now, he felt little of the first two and still a bit of the latter. Some directed at himself, some directed at Takuya and Koichi.

"I don't think their choices are our responsibility," he said at length, stroking Patamon between his shoulder blades. "Takuya, Koichi and even Tommy made their own choices. That isn't our fault. And who knows, if not then, they might would have had to make the same choices now. We offered our help, they didn't ask even for advice. And perhaps we could have done some things better, but in the end, that choice they made was none but their own." He looked away from his partner, first to the black haired teen sitting empty faced and silent some feet away from them, then to Cody, whose expression was pained.

"But maybe if we had asked for more details, we could have stopped them. Or if we had searched better and found them before they were even captured. Maybe if we would have done more, they would have believed in us enough to wait for other chances. Maybe they wouldn't have had to bargain with the few things they had for power." Cody ducked his faces closer to his knees, his shoulders hunched.

They should have talked to each other more, but they hadn't and so no one had done anything to change.

"Or maybe they would have," said TK and Patamon nodded his agreement. "When I think about it, the more I see it like suicide. We were there to offer our help. We were there to give advice. We would have done everything we could, but they didn't even let it get so far. There was hope, but Takuya and Koichi didn't see it and took the jump." He paused for a moment and trying to find the words to fit his feelings. Maybe he still did feel guilty after all. "If anything, _that_ is our burden to bear. But it is not our fault, the decision they made took this form."

Cody was silent, his face unreadable, but at least the guilt was gone. Or hidden. Steadily, the young boy became more thoughtful. "What does it even mean," he voiced quietly, "that they aren't human anymore." He gazed at Koichi. "Koichi looks human and from what I know, he used to behave human as well. So what's the difference?" Koichi showed no sign of listening, answering or consciousness even though he had been walking with them for hours. Even now, when they were talking about him, about them, about things that felt immensely private to TK.

"You are right, come to think of it." Startled that he had never considered it, TK looked at Patamon, who also just shrugged his little shoulders. "I don't know. What could be the difference?" What made a digimon a digimon? "There is evolution for one."

"But they could do that before as well, Gennai said."

"That was with Digivice, though," TK remembered. "What else is there?"

Again, silence fell, disturbed only by their breathing and Armadimon's scales grating against the stones as he rolled on his back to let Cody rub his belly.

"Eggs."

TK startled at the sudden interruption. "Excuse me?"

Cody shifted unhappily. "Digieggs. When digimon die, their data gets scattered and become parts of new eggs, right?"

For a long moment, TK didn't grasp the meaning of what Cody was saying, then eyes widening in horror, he stared at Koichi.

Death. Death was the end of every life, and what came beyond death was one of the greatest questions of existence. No one knew, at least for humans. Religions and cultures fought about it and it has been questioned for as long as humans existed. No one knew. If there was an afterlife. Rebirth. Nothingness. Ghosts. It was definite, it was absolute. It was a facet of life from the very beginning. It was part of a human life. No matter how feared, no matter what feeling.

Everyone only lived because there was only one life to be lived and it had to be lived to its fullest and without regrets.

Death was...it was part of what made them humans. Of what humans were like.

Just for one moment, TK tried imagining what it would be like, to not have that and the thought was so terrifying, he reeled back from it.

Digimon weren't immortal, no, but their data preserved, sometimes even their memories. Digital lives had a different form of death that compared to the strict end of human death might not even be an end at all.

That was a great point of the digimon debates in real world.

TK reeled; to have his identity and being split into tiny little bits and put together, mixed with bits form other people, possibly remembering parts of a life that wasn't his.

It was a scenario out of his nightmares.

A difference between humans and Digimon. Humans prized individuality, privacy and a steady sense of self, a soul that was untouchable. Digimon didn't. Digimon liked masses and living in villages where everyone looked the same as them, fusing with another digimon for evolution and thinking nothing of it.

Like that, it was horrible.

Yet TK would never dream of interfering or judging them for it. Digimon weren't human. They were different and had other standards. Other things they considered important, a different way of existing and living. And that was fine. TK had never thought about it twice.

But that was not mixing the two of them.

More and more differences stumbled into his mind, one heavier than the last. "Digimon don't age like humans. They only change through evolution. Digimon don't have children." All things that were essential to humans. _What made a human…_

And TK realized that what Takuya had said, giving up their humanity, was in every sense literal, not only limited to some data code.

"Don't you have anything to say to that?"

Koichi didn't reply, his eyes unseeing and distant, unnaturally still.

TK pitied him.

* * *

><p>"The time is approaching. Make the necessary preparations."<p>

A unified, "Yes, Your Majesty," filled the darkness swamped throne room, followed by the resounding of many different sets of steps. When silence fell, only two beings were left behind.

The kneeling shadow kept his eyes on the ground, awaiting permission to speak as he felt his Lord's heavy gaze on him.

"What do you want, Murmuxmon? You are dismissed."

Murmuxmon didn't raise his eyes beyond the black floor. "My Lord, I wished to ask for permission. Bad fortune struck Phelesmon and thus was unable to return to us. Puppetmon fled with his strings in a knot. To this day, the containers of Darkness and Fire have not fallen in our hands, Ice has yet to be regained. Clearly, our forces are not working to satisfaction." He paused. "I ask for Your Majesty's order to bring them to your convenience personally."

Silence.

Then there was a hard ticking, hard material meeting equal sturdiness. "You ask for much, Murmuxmon. Free reign of my realm. In my absence." More silence, this one decidedly heavier.

Murmuxmon did not move.

The Lord spoke,"yet you also offer much in return. Glory and honour of the front lines in a new world with the results of Operation Nobel Revival to make your temporary surrender of your command permanent it I so will it. What gives you the motivation to pay that much?"

Murmuxmon became even more submissive. "My Lord's satisfaction is all I desire," he said. "However it is true that the hosts of the Legendary Warriors gather no favour with me, for my fellow has been slain by them not too long ago. It is a humiliation I wish to even if My Lord allows." True as it was, it was only part of the whole. Murmuxmon were schemers, strategists and very proud, sorcerers that they were. To have one of its likeness defeated by children. Human children. Weak and fragile, easily to trick and use beings was grating. But it was still a different Murmuxmon. If he chose to forget it, the humiliation was bearable.

But they escaped _him. Twice!_

His blood boiled with a cry for vengeance, made him itch for cruelty. It made him sloppy, mess up, messed with his control and Murmuxmon could allow nothing more than his absolute perfect as His Majesty has not reached his position by being unable to pick out lesser usurpers.

It was a price to pay and a heavy one, but in the long run, it was necessary.

The Lord chuckled. "Puppetmon has asked for a similar favour. Very well. You may remain. Even this favour if it so bothers you. But," the darkness became oppressive and menacing. "Do not stretch my goodwill. Now leave, to your position. The time is approaching. Operation Nobel Revival is complete."

And, shrewed as he is, the Lord knows of these trait of all Murmuxmon. It was believable.

Time was coming indeed. Darkness was still loose and if Murmuxmon could steal it...

But first he had appearances to keep.

* * *

><p><em>The great fortress of unknown origins, floating high in the sky, jerks. It's black colour shimmers, reflecting white, blue and green light before, abruptly, it comes to a complete stop as if it had encountered an unmovable object. Then, ever so slowly, the air in front of it becomes solid and splits, opening a wide maw into whitish space beyond. Streaks of small things flashed and the fortress moved again, entering the gate.<em>

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><p>DarkQuinlongmon felt its energy drain, without question, mercy and sharply and the instincts of the fallen sovereign screamed for survival. It was futile. When a gate was going to be forced open on the other side, the great dragon would breathe its last.<p>

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><p>Gennai and his clones' screens lit up like red fire. Warning sirens blared and shouts of quickly followed. Slumping back in his chair, the digital man felt defeated.<p>

This was it. He had done everything he could. It was over. The real world was no longer safe.

* * *

><p><em>Send: Minutes ago<em>

To Ken and Izzy,

The thing is formed like a dice, the size of my foot. It's black, heavier than a stone of that size, doesn't sound hollow. My digivice stopped reacting to it after some time before I turned it off. It glints a light blue or green sometimes. I tried stomping on it and dug at it with a rock without leaving a scratch. The surface is smooth. Palmon wonders if it might be digichrome.

Added the photo. What should I do with it?

From Mimi and Palmon

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><p>What Mimi hated most about the Digital World was the world saving.<p>

She was a teenage girl -had been at a time not even that- and she should not have to worry about night-watch, food and water, the possible danger lurking around behind every bush of grass. She shouldn't have to wonder if a plant was poisonous, if the water was clean.

She should worry about her hair, possibly her grades, the latest fashion and definitely who was going to ask her on a date and who she wanted to ask her.

But no, Mimi wasn't that lucky.

When it was only for a picnic, a few hours where she could enjoy the scenery, smell the flowers and watch nature, where she had a home to return to, a bed to sleep in in the evening, means for body care, she loved the digital world like the others.

But no, Mimi was needed to do world saving.

Why her anyway? Weren't there people who were better suited for it?

Someone maybe with an adventurous spirit?

Mimi sighed, feeling depressed. Her matara of complains had over the past days faded into background noise and adding to the list didn't even make up of a distraction anymore.

"Urgh, I can't take it anymore!" Wilfully, she flopped down to the ground, crossing her arms and legs and refusing to move. "I need a break!"

Palmon, having jumped at her sudden exclamations, sat down next to her, looking just as tired as Mimi felt. However unlike Mimi, Palmon seemed to fit right into their surroundings. Lush green grass ranked into the sky, over towering their sitting forms.

The trail of destruction the two of them had followed had ended just about where they had found the cube and afterwards they had struggled their way through a day of forest before the trees became sporadic and grass took up most of what they saw. Palmon had found them a small stream of water to follow and they had done that for another day by now. Mimi's D-terminal said they were still another day of walking away from the next settlement. Whether that was deserted or not was still in question.

But for now, Mimi had had it with walking.

The landscape was beautiful, the weather warm, the sun high in the sky, wind was blowing and the grass made for surprisingly soft cushioning. It was time to take a nap. "I want a nap, Palmon," she announced after she had gone to drink a few handfuls of the cold water.

Palmon brightened. "I'll watch, don't worry Mimi."

"Hmm", said Mimi, pulling some grass together for a makeshift bed. "Don't forget to get your nutriments. The sun is shining, don't waste it."

Nodding energetically, Palmon rose to her feet, even then smaller than the grass, and Mimi watched, as always half fascinated, how roots grew out of her partner's feet and into the ground and how the flower on her head sprouted delicate new leaves. Then Palmon stilled like a statue. That part Mimi still found somewhat eerie to watch, but she supposed to each their own and let her eyes drift close, focusing on the sun on her skin lulling her to sleep.

A voice in her ear, Mimi woke up groggily, stiff and unwilling. Distractedly she waved a hand as if trying to get rid of a fly, but Palmon didn't shut up and it was only when Mimi was unable to stay in her still-pleasant doze that she realized the voice was all wrong, not Palmon.

She jumped to full wakefulness, her heart racing in her chest. There was not supposed to be anyone else. Her abrupt waking had startled Palmon and her partner was now looking at her worriedly. Photosynthesis over, Palmon looked revived. "Mimi?"

Mimi shushed her. "Don't you hear that?"

Palmon looked puzzled frowning as she tilted her head. "Hear what?"

"Shhh." There it was again. "That." It was soft and seemed almost monotone to Mimi, but not quite. Where did it come from? Uneasily, Mimi glanced around, but the grass was too high and too thick, ideal for hiding and she could recognize nothing. The wind brushed the grass into rustling, graceful curves.

"What? I don't hear anything," whispered Palmon anxiously.

Mimi groped for her digivice, only remembering now that she had put it in her bag when she had turned it off. As quietly as possible, she reached for her bag and pulled the zipper open, only to still.

There it was again, louder this time, more insistent. The voice was female.

Almost against her will, Mimi's eyes fell on the cube she had been carrying along, innocently sitting next to her digivice. Her glowing digivice. The light spilling from it was the light green of her Purity's crest and as she watched, the light seemed to become absorbed by the light blue, also glowing cube.

"What-" started Palmon, but Mimi didn't hear the rest of her question, drowned by the mysterious voice.

Suddenly Mimi realized why it sounded so odd and why Palmon couldn't hear it. It wasn't a voice at all; resounding with different timbers, all familiar, inside Mimi's head. _"Come."_

Taking Palmon's hand and closing her finger's around her digivice, Mimi swallowed nervously, but didn't stop.

She pressed her digivice to the cube.

A flash of blue-greenish light and beyond the flattened grass and the opened bag with a glowing object inside, there was no trace of sentient life within miles.

* * *

><p>Even had Koji not anticipated this moment from the second he had been able to form coherent thoughts again, he could hardly have missed the timing.<p>

The girl, Kari, was all but completely swallowed at this point, Gatomon had become suffocatingly panicked and the castle lurched for the second time, this time like a train sharp on the breaks. His borrowed body stumbled, but Koji's attention was turned inwards, pulling himself together and then pushing with all his mental and physical might.

His sight blurred, the columns disappeared, breath disappeared, light disappeared, and his sense of self disappeared, before flaring back into existence with the force of a supernova along with all his other sensations. Breath, smell, tasting blood from where he had bitten his lip, the very same sight he had just left behind only from another point, touching the very same girl he had just spend a week staring at.

She too spluttered and gasped, like a drowning man and her eyes shot wide open, struggling in his grasp. "Wha- I-" Gatomon was shouting and yelling and Koji set the girl to the ground at her demand, having more important things to do that a panicked child.

Like the others.

Completely ignoring the girl and her partner, it felt like a long buried instinct when he grasped to his side and his fingers closed around an object that he was only just pulling into existence. With as much force as he managed, he batted the blade of light against the electricity sparked column. Power flared and Koji was thrown back with a curse falling from his lips.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath, staring for a short moment at JP's prison and glancing over the others, before he pushed his regret and disappointment aside. It wasn't like hadn't expected it. Hatefully, he glared once at his own column, undamaged, black and sleek as it mocked him despite him having just violently broken free of it, before he spun on his heel and made for the other two. The girl had to get out, not matter what. "Get up," he told her harshly, interrupting Gatomon's calming and her hurried explanation. She startled, looking still like a frightened animal. "We have to leave. Now. Unless you would like to get back in there." He thumped over his shoulder.

The girl shuddered, violently, but fought to stand, stubbornly working past her shaking and weak body even as her small partner fussed over worriedly between glaring at Koji. "How?"

She had what it took, Koji would give her that. "As Garmmon, I'm very fast. We are going to run."

Still wide eyed, she looked past Koji. "What about the others, your friends?"

Koji bluntly ignored her, summoning the feeling of Garmmon to the surface of his thoughts. It came smoothly and easily and Koji let the feeling overwhelm him. _"Spirit evolution."_

This new evolution was not all that different from his old one. The first time, Koji remembered vividly getting overwhelmed by the sensations and instincts of what it was like to become a beast. The rage of the moment, swallowing all his reason, washing it away like dirt in the rain. But even then, there had been some part, some core the evolution had not touched. It had been more like slipping into another skin, but still staying the same at the core however shadowed that had been.

Now, that untouched core did not exist and Koji stopped existing, shifting and becoming a beast in his entirety. His memories and sense of Koji was still there, but it was unimportant, distant, like a different form for him to take when Garmmon needed it.

The light of evolution receded, Garmmon bared his teeth and howled. "Get on," he growled to the little human, her frightened and horrified gaze on him. His sharp eyes saw her swallow and the tremors still whacking her body, but she was hard enough not to break and Garmmon felt her fragile hands as she disappeared from his line of sight and climbed on his armoured back. Gatomon jumped on, perching between his sharp speed star attack blades.

He lowered his wheels to the ground, preparing to let them shoot to as high a speed that still allowed him to turn sharp corners, when his muscles tensed in aggression.

A repulsive smell assaulted his nose. Unwashed and old rags, old blood, hatred and arrogance. His head swung around to the source.

"That is far enough, little humans."

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><p>This is the chapter for September. Many thanks to smfan for doing a great job with beta reading at short notice! :)<p>

Things get moving a bit faster now. This and the next few chapters I have spend a long time thinking about since I had only about ten chapters for this story. Everything got tossed and turned about. Multiple times. I rather think I am going to be happy with the end result. I hope you will like it as well.

Do you have suggestions? Critique? Likes? Dislikes? Complains? Things you noticed?

TBC.


	44. Digital World: hard and piercing Light

Sandilyamon = Sandiramon

Igamon = Ninjamon

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><p>Chapter 43: Digital World: hard and piercing Light<p>

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><p>As from the depth of shadows something moved and stepped into the torch-lit glow, Garmmon's low warning growl turned threatening.<p>

Pitchblack skin gleamed, bat-like wings stretched on the back and a red trident in Phelesmon's hand mocked. "Here I thought to say my goodbyes before my next," a purple tongue licked over lips, but doing nothing to disguise the snarl, "my next _human hunting_ trip. And look at what I found."

Garmmon only managed to articulate the rage he felt with a wild growl, the memories of the last time he faced that abomination in this body bubbling up. The helplessness, the choking under power and being hunted and captured like an animal. At the very least, it seemed, the strange dark-matter like meterial he had used then wasn't here now. With how it had made even Koji's human instincts scream, Garmmon would know if it were anywhere near.

His eyes glowed a fierce white, piercing past the shallow darkness. Igamon, Sandilyamon; and Chamelemon hidden from his eyes but not his nose, a couple Sagittarimon. They were surrounding them from all sides, backs to the walls and not leaving a single hole in their lines even in a place large enough to host one of his school gatherings.

The little human he had all but forgotten about until now tensed on his back. Her feeble senses might not catch a lot, but the cat-partner's hiss of anger and the movements away from sight might not even escape her. "What are we going to do," she whispered frightened, quietly for human ears.

Pressure started building in the wheels at his heels and Garmmon unfolded his razor sharp, thin blades. He tensed in preparation, the little human held on tight enough that he sensed her even through his thick, metal skin. Phelesmon saw, waved a sharp hand, the mass of controlled digimon was shifting, but it wouldn't matter, he'd just cut through-

"Speed star!"

Garmmon's eyes were sharp. They had to be, to be able to keep up with his own high speed or else his fighting style would be as harmful to him as it was to his enemies. It was those sharp eyes that saved him from damage and likely his passengers' lives. White digimon, Sandilyamon, had slithered in and blocked the corridor with their hard bodies. As hard as Garmmon's own.

He identified them at the very last second where he, while unable to stop his momentum, was still able to redirect it. He pushed off the ground with all his strength and his paws contacted with the wall. His spinning wheels still carried him, but his weight and gravity was working against him and even as he was racing the wall up, he was slowing. Pushing off once more and twisting in the air had Garmmon land where he had started two seconds before.

He snarled, opening his jaw wide. "Solar Laser!" The beam of light was unfailingly aimed at Phelesmon, hoping to cut it in half. If Garmmon couldn't move past by force, then he had to cut off the head and the rest would scatter like rats-

Trident whirling, Phelesmon caught the attack and batted it aside, into the crowd.

Disbelieving, Garmmon's eyes narrowed and he bared his teeth; his attack had failed. _Twice._

Digimon yelped where the beam cut through the ranks, some screamed, some burst into data. And now they too, became animated. It was easy; be attacked, attack in return.

But Garmmon's focus was on one something else. Phelesmon, a dark and evil digimon had_ blocked_ a laser of pure, piercing light. Phelsemon wasn't even gloating about it, still looking as angry as before. It didn't fit with what Garmmon remembered of its character.

Quickly, Garmmon's rage cooled into something more calculating. "Get off." Garmmon ordered his passengers and when they failed to move, he tilted his body to the side and dropped them off coldly. They were unmoving, stunned; the human's face was a sickly green color and her breath ragged. "I feel like...throwing up," she managed to articulate in protest and justification. "I.." She broke off, pressing a hand to her mouth.

Garmmon would have sneered at the absurd deficit of motion-sickness, even the cat's, if their lives weren't in danger. As he stepped over them in protection against the projectiles the digimon he labeled dismissively as 'foot soldiers' were throwing at them, he hadn't just noticed the odd lack of close or middle ranged combat digimon among those controlled. Why? But Garmmon pushed the question aside. So long as it didn't become a problem right now, it had to wait. Priorities.

The girl had to get out.

For that the path had to be free.

Problem: Enemy headquarters, not much time.

_If I have to, I'm going to wipe them all out,_ he decided.

Garmmon shifted his weight to his hind legs and as soon as he begun the motion with the right intention, he felt the data streams build up. _"Double Spirit Evolution!"_

His body rebuild itself, the thick muscles condensed into smaller space. Paws and hands were becoming the same. Armor, formerly his skin, was set apart in different layers, and the fangs of his jaw shrunk but stayed sharp all the same. The ever-present aggression fueling him became hard and sharp, tamed but focused as just another weapon to wield. Purpose, objective.

Beowolfmon was not a third or a half or one side of multiple sides of one being. Beowolfmon had what he otherwise lacked. Unity, vision, balance.

Therefore, Beowolfmon was the strongest.

Light and data of evolution receding, Beowolfmon glanced around with sharp and assessing eyes, seeking out the best way for escape.

"Gatomon, girl, be ready." He said after with a round swing of his twin blade he repelled another wave of sharp objects. Unlike Garmmon, Beowolfmon couldn't shield them with his body anymore, being smaller and of different build. More importantly, he couldn't protect them when he had to move on to the attack himself. Shuriken clashed against the chrome of his sword and clattered against the ground as the girl shakily, still slightly green and otherwise unhealthy looking, crawled to her feet.

From what Beowolfmon had seen so far of this world's chosen children, he wasn't overly impressed with their softness and naivety, but he had to give this girl that at least: she was though.

Gatomon handed her her digivice and it flashed. Beowolfmon stepped away to give space and a few seconds after a call of "Digimental up!", the powerful beat of wings tickled fine strands of hair against his cheek. "Nefertimon!" The feline digimon escaped to the safety of height. The theatrics of putting their pillar-prisons into a grand hall, higher than several stories, came out to Beowlofmon's advantage for once. As irritating and grating as it was.

Nefretimon send an an unwelcome jolt to memories of failure and defeat and pleading through the back of his mind, but Beowlofmon's hands didn't shake as he smoothly raised his sword in front of him. _Light cuts through everything. Dark memories and evil darkness all the same._ Nefertimon's appearance managed to draw the focus of attack from the foot soldiers to her and her partner. It was lucky, for it meant Beowolfmon would not have to split his focus away from the one digimon present that was a threat and that Beowolfmon had to defeat and defeat fast. Enemy Headquarters.

In battle, the smallest second could be decisive. A smallest break in attention, a flicker of eyes, was all it took sometimes.

Neither Beowolfmon nor Phelesmon were as inexperienced as to make such a mistake however, and as of the two of them, it was only Beowlofmon who had a long range attack, it was him who held the advantage. The first move belonged to him. In a fight there were otherwise too many openings Phelesmon would allow. Openings that Bewolfmon then would be able to strike at from the distance Phelesmon first had to cross. It wasn't curtsey that had made Phelesmon wait in place, even were the enraged dgimon capable of it. It wasn't anything but plain disadvantage.

Now Beowolfmon opened the fight; he focused energy into the weapon, making a ghostly form gather around it, red eyes glowing. "Zweihänder!"

Following the specter of light energy, Beowolfmon shot forward intend on slashing Phelesmon in half once and for all. One death to clear the way. Enemies that weren't organized, couldn't think on their own fell into chaos easily; they were easy to bypass.

Bewolfmon brought the twin edges down.

A sharp clinking, spitting sparks and metal hit metal, unmoving.

Beowolfmon's shocked eyes met Phelemon's malicious ones over the clash of their weapons. "Impossible," he hissed, sounding close to a feral growl. He pulled his sword back, then attacked again; swards slash, upwards cut, at the neck. He was met, blow for blow and somewhere in the back of his mind, the impossibility was starting to sink in.

It wasn't working. Beowolfmon was matched.

It was impossible, but it was happening. _How? Was my energy sucked dry by this place? Do I not have enough strength left?_ Bewolfmon adjusted with the speed only an experienced warrior was capable of.

With a large and powerful swing, the wolf digimon locked their weapons in place once more, pressing his weight down on his smaller opponent. But even then, the blood red trident remained unmarked. Beowolfmon growled, frustrated.

Phelesmon glowered venomously. "Not so powerful now, are you, little _human_," it spat. It sounded insulted, personally offended and Beowolfmon narrowed his eyes in return. "You couldn't possible be capable of it! _Shouldn't be!_ What cowardice and trickery did you use? To defeat one like myself! I'll crush you!"

White-blue eyes widened marginally and in a snap decision, Bewolfmon shoved his left hand past their interlocked weapons into the other's face. "Licht Angriff!" Missiles shot from his pawed hand guard. Beowolfmon jumped back.

An explosion rocked the hall and the blast took Beowolfmon off his feet, but he caught himself easy enough, sliding over the ground. His sword screeched over the stone as he dug it in for balance and the sound hurt his ears, but the canine digimon couldn resist smirking the cloud of smoke, before he was suddenly forced to roll for cover from shuriken behind JP's column.

Nefertimon who was doing a good job at staying out of reach up in the air, save. And though Beowofmon had been flashy, and drawn some of their attention to him, it hardly mattered; to him the danger wasn't the same.

The level system and the advantage of being a digidestined worked well for chosen children. None of those of the same stage of evolution would ever be quite able to match them, but there were others here as well, a higher level that Nefertimon wouldn't be able to match. That was the one big disadvantage; the barriers of one difference in evolution.

Beowolfmon stood outside of that.

Whatever enemy, to Beowolfmon counted only the advantage or disadvantage of elements. Levels meant power, but not enough to bridge the hold the elements had on the legendary warriors. In battles, decisive factors for victory were different; strategy, tactics, wit, experience...

In any case, for now Kari and Nefertimon were save enough. Only he had to forge a way.

He tightened and relaxed his grip on his sword, the obstacle to that goal at the forefront of his mind as the smoke settled. "I had wondered why darkness corrupt as yours managed to put up a fight," he spoke coldly. "The answer is so simple: it is not darkness but a cheap imitation." He smirked maliciously, showing his white teeth. "You lucked out. I thought stench like yours was familiar from some time ago. A Murmuxmon, isn't it?"

A snarl, followed by a flap of fabric dispelled the last remains of visible cover. The dramatic flapping of the cape was also familiar. Beowolfmon unwillingly wrinkled his nose. That explained the smell of rotting clothes and old blood.

Murmuxmon was fairly seething.

Theory confirmed, Beowolfmon went to planning. Now that he knew the true identity of someone of equal skill it was only a matter of being smart about it. Murmuxmon were arrogant, he remembered. Conceited, ambitious, powerful sorcerers. A psychological attack would be best, then.

Beowolfmon rose from a crouch to his feet, languidly, and deliberately let his attention be drawn to the Sandilyamon still blocking the way for a speedy exit. "I don't have time for you," he pronounced clearly. "And now that I know what you are, defeating you will be easy. You are a sorcerer. Your greatest strength lies in deception and mind games. Just like the other one I knew. Now that you don't have that, now that I know, it's only a matter of cutting you."

To underline his point, Beowoflmon caught a spear that was thrown at him from the side with his bare hand (light element; light vs light-thunder, of course the element holder wins) as he pointed his sword at Murmuxmon. "We don't have time for you."

There was a long moment of silence between them before Murmuxmon's expression abruptly shifted from mounting fury to terror.

_"Then pray, tell what do you have time for,"_ an absolutely chilling and angry voice interrupted. It was quietly spoken but by no means was it a soft voice and Beowolfmon whirled around, going so far as to show his back to Murmuxmon.

He _felt_ the evil all way from across the hall. That he had not noticed that before, more than anything else in this situation, made him wary. Tension, apprehension, a sliver of fear abruptly wormed its way through Beowolfmon's combat-focused mind. It was darkness and evil at its basest, spun into a towering form of a seemingly unbalanced digimon. More troublesome still, and a beat of sweat rolled down Beowolfmon's cheek at the thought, was the sheer power he sensed. On instinct alone, while his mind was still processing, he held his sword defensively in front of him. "Who the hell are you?"

There were many impressions, far to many to absorb all at once. By the time the question had left his lips, Beowulfmon already knew the answer. All attacks against him or Nefertimon and Kari have stopped, the digimon all falling postures of submission. Even Murmuxmon didn't dare lift its eyes off the ground.

Anger and rage. It was just seeping under the new digimon's calm skin. A large and boney, yet metallic seeming hand hung off the right side of the body. On the same side, a ruby red eye was glowing. It was scary and though his face could almost be mistaken for an old man in a costume, the image didn't even cross Beowolfmon's mind. Power, evil. _Anger._

A chill raced through Beowolfmon when the eyes turned directly on him. "I am Bagramon, the Lord of this Castle and many, many worlds," he announced, every syllable reeking of superiority, "and on my way to execute the one responsible for failing to keep the schedule of Nobel Revival as well as to demand an explanation as to why it is that even with DarkQinglongmon at my word the gates have not opened completely, when I happened upon this commotion." The digimon's stare told Beowolfmon he was hardly considered worth any breath. "And you are my tool. Who allowed you to move of your own accord?"

Beowlofmon tilted his blade from purely defensive to slightly aggressive, intimidated by refusing to show it. Glaring over the edge of his weapon, Beowolfmon took a good look at the one responsible for this mess that he found himself in. The one above all else that had to be defeated, destroyed and cleansed; cut off the head and the rest will scatter like rats...

Therefore, Beowolfmon existed. "I don't take orders from anyone, not even my own rulers," he stated, point blank refusing to acknowledge this one's authority over him.

The next thing Beowolfmon knew, he crashed into a wall. Hard. He felt the armor around his ribcage crack and bend. Then pain. It came down on him like a tidal wave and blood tickled past his lips. He swiped at it, dazed and slow. His ears were ringing, his sight swam and without even noticing, his weight tilted to the side as he fell.

There was some shrill noise, but Koji couldn't focus on it at all, the cold touch of the floor against his cheek everything he was capable of processing for what seemed like a long time.

The next time there was the noise, he was able to name it again. A scream. The teen forced his eyes to open and was at once grateful for the lack of steady light even when the dancing flames bit in his eyes.

He wished Takuya would turn down on the fire.

Takuya didn't.

Actually, Takuya didn't do much at all with his little pet flames except letting them burn; he wasn't even being noisy or annoying about it. Odd, Koji thought, and drew his eyebrows together in an effort to focus more. Of blurry shadows, some of them leaning over him, none seemed familiar at all, actually, and though besides the flames it was all dark around, he didn't sense his brother's presence.

The hairs on the back of his neck standing up, Koji bit his teeth together and was at once all too aware of the taste of fresh blood in his mouth. Immediately, like a spike, all feelings turned into a sense of danger.

And no sooner than he thought to think about it, Koji was hit by the feel of evil and power in the air. Adrenaline kicked in, numbing his dizziness and turning his mind crystal clear and razor sharp. It felt strangely repetitive. There were many sensations, but the most important one was:_ Power, evil, anger._

Few things mattered when one was in danger and Koji had practice in blanking any unwanted thought and sensation from his mind.

He forced his eyes to focus more and as if to articulate his struggle, there was a desperate scream. A name. "_Kari!_" Infused in the cry was helplessness, despair, anger, breathlessness with pain, fear, _fearfear-_

Through the limbs of many bodies gathered around him, Koji just managed to watch one blurry figure hold up another one, this one kicking in the air, and press it against a wall. No, no wall. A column. A prison. A prison Koji didn't want to return to, not again, and a tool, one that he couldn't allow the girl to be bound to. The power of evolution was too important, Koji knew. Though the connection between a girl and evolution escaped him at the moment...

_"Gatom-"_ The shout was strangled to begin with and then cut short. The following silence was like the end; final, oppressive, like death.

Koji stemmed a fist into the ground and forced his head up.

Just the simple motion made the blood pound in his head so hard, unconsciousness threatened to sweep in again. Koji tried to take even breaths, but it only made him notice the pain in his torso. _My ribs. Broken? Hurts enough for three,_ he noted distantly. It didn't matter. His wounds, his hurt, his body didn't matter. Priorities. Koji had priorities to keep. Things to save. Worlds to save. Responsibility to do it. _The others..._

_What can I do...?_

Beowolfmon at his strongest had been beaten, defeated so hard with just one hit that even Koji had been knocked out, however shortly. _How can I fight?_

The controlled digimon around him parted without so much as ever raising their eyes off the floor and as Koji still struggled to get up, the Bagramon closed in. Walking in a comfortable, royal pace. It angered Koji beyond reason to just see a digimon walk like that.

It was like Lucemon all over again. Before, while and after his brother had been murdered before his eyes. The memory came fast and unexpected, bringing with it a flood of hate so strong it hit Koji like a physical strike. But that was nothing compared to the sheer scream everything in his body gave when Bargramon trailed his long and boney hand along the floor and seemingly pulled _something_ -liquid, dark, black, _swallowing_- just out of the floor.

In an instinctive reaction, Koji's body jerked in the opposite direction, long before his head managed to catch up.

Koji's mind was blanked into a state of horror, fear, and disgust. _What the hell-?_

Koji all but forgot about the digimon holding the substance, the need to get away, the things he had to do. He was completely unable of even tearing his eyes away from that abnomination that made his instincts scream like never bef-

_No, I already felt this once._

Phelsemon, sadistic laughter, the feeling of hopelessness, helplessness and the knowledge that it was inevitable. It was back when he had been captured for the first time, by a genuine Phelesmon, lost in a digital world he didn't recognize. It was shortly before and the reason he had forgotten he even existed once.

If it hadn't been for Koichi...

Koji stared at the dark matter. Would Koichi have to revive his being again? He wondered, almost apathetic even though it was the last thing he knew he should feel.

He didn't even know if his body was in a state to move, because before he could even try Koji felt his energy being sucked away through his fingertips. The substance drew everything of Koji in like a black hole, taking even that sharp iron spear of focus and will that made Koji who he was, that was a core of what Light itself was.

It was simply sucked away from him...

There was a flash of green light.

* * *

><p>This is the chapter for October. Many thanks to smfan for doing a great job with beta-reading and preventing me from making gross mistakes!<p>

Do you have suggestions? Critique? Likes? Dislikes? Complains? Or things you noticed?

TBC.


	45. Digital World: unpredictable winds

Chapter 44: Digital World: unpredictable and resisting Wind

* * *

><p>The last thing he had expected this to be was fun, but interestingly enough, it was once he had gotten used to the new level of ever-present fear. If he were discovered, he'd be lucky if his end would come fast. So far, he had not been discovered and though he did find this very, very odd as he hadn't actually expected to live past his very first act of rebellion by more than a couple hours, he was grateful for it as he was still alive.<p>

He intended to make the very most of it. So long as he wasn't caught, there was so much damage he could deal to His Majesty and his followers.

Once he had actually opened his eyes and taken a look around, that was.

In his opinion, it was sheer stupidity to leave someone who was only blackmailed into obedience in the first place, in charge of anything remotely important.

He was left within arm's length of several greatly important things.

Like Operation Nobel Revival.

Like the database.

Like the relocation program.

Like the security access to said program.

Like readings of data that he was actually supposed to report.

Like security feeds.

He was going to die anyway -His Majesty had already left his throne room, the security said- so he might as well take as much down with him as he could.

Imagining His Majesty's reaction when he found out about his gross misjudgment and how much it cost him was terrifying, but if he ignored that part, as he had not done until lately, to have an excuse for what he did and helped with, then it was mostly funny.

The guards that had been assigned to him, partly for his own protection against the cut-throat followers, partly to give him a reminder of what hung over his head like a sword of Damocles. It had worked for a long time. But once he had actively turned his thoughts to rebellion, and was not just guilt-tripped into it, he saw a very useful hole with that.

Unlike the latest 'recruits', his guards were not controlled and quite capable of independent thought, and they had been with him for a long time now, but that also meant they knew him and he knew them and their habits and they knew his. A habit like being unable to properly work with them breathing down his neck.

Which meant he was quite able to convince them to be standing outside the open door instead of inside it, if only once. In other words, doing things he should not be doing was easy enough. They also wouldn't notice when all access to all programs was linked to his terminal.

It was terrifying, but it also gave him a feeling of vengeful satisfaction that made it possible to forget about the drawbacks that were accompanied by this. Like his approaching demise...

Anyway, lying into his tormenters' faces with what counted for a smile, all the while going behind their back was unexpectedly stimulating.

Knowing things that were going on in the digital world that even His Majesty with his gift of foresight would not know, because it was not actually something that could be seen with the plain eye was very...satisfying.

On a small side window, he watched as His Majesty entered_ that place_.

He loathed it, for so many reasons, now that he actually allowed himself to feel something besides the will to not be punished. In that place, someone who was his brother but at the same time wasn't, had been kept. Kept to be dissolved like sugar in water, flesh in acid. It counted for all of them. Or was supposed to anyway; somehow, and even he had no idea how, already two children had left those prisons not much worse for the wear.

Distantly, analytically, he thought it was rather interesting.

On screen he watched the scene play out. The humanoid wolf digimon didn't stand a chance, was smacked around and devolved into a dark haired teen. He remained motionless lying on the ground. The girl and her sphinx partner were taken out of the air equally fast. The cat was in a heap on the floor, still conscious and struggling, but to him it seemed, her body wasn't willing to follow. The girl was picked up at her neck and carried to the prison she had just been freed from like an inanimate object.

Which she probably was to His Majesty.

She was swallowed by the Fortress and disappeared, perhaps forever. The castle didn't work as it should with the Spiritholders, but the girl wasn't one. Did the castle not work like that in general or were spirits the source of irregular result? A moralless part of him was interested in seeing what would happen. The rest of him rebelled and reminded himself that the girl must have things that made it worth for her to be throwing her life into this...

And that, he could_ understand._

But in truth, he actually couldn't do anything for her.

It was in that moment, that a red rimed warning window popped up on screen. A maliciously gleeful grin, almost sadistic, hushed over his face and he casually ignored the warning.

_Now well, what will become of this?_

There were things His Majesty did not know. This, quite clearly, was one of it. He zoomed in on his Majesty's face, unwilling to miss that expression.

The little security feed lit up in greenish-blue-white and when it receded, there was one person and one digimon more than had been before.

* * *

><p>"Uhwa! Ah! Ouch!" Mimi complained when the stupid light suddenly disappeared and the ground under her feet with it. She pinwheeled her arms in the air, trying to somehow, somewhere catch her balance. Catching on to something solid, she only just managed to avoid crashing face-first into the ground when gravity took a hold again. "Palmon," she whined. "I hate this."<p>

"Are you okay, Mimi?" Her partner asked somewhat worriedly from somewhere around Mimi's waist. Her tick arms, which had been squeezing the air from Mimi, slowly let loose. "What was that? Where are we?"

Mimi had her eyes squeezed shut as she hugged this something that she had caught on to like Palmon held on to her. "I don't know. I don't wanna know. This is so the last time I'm listening to mystical digivice-power things."

Half afraid, Mimi wondered if the ground would disappear again when she opened her eyes.

She squeezed an eye a slit open. It was dark. Or mostly dark. At least darker than where she had just come from. She saw some things that were probably torches. So far, it didn't look bad. Mimi sighed a sigh of relief.

Palmon tugged at her. "Mimi?" She sounded hesitant, somewhat afraid.

_Oh no!_ Mimi quickly shut her eye again, hoping.

"Mimi," Palmon tugged, more insistent, more hesitant and more afraid.

Mimi prayed, then opened her eyes.

What she saw made them fly wide open when she wanted nothing more than to squeeze them shut again. "I hate this," she wailed loudly as every eye was on her, just as shocked as she was. They didn't look nice. Particularly not the Tall and Scary with a bone for an arm and red streetlight-glow for a left eye. "You stupid thing!" She shook her digivice in her hand as if a good, hard rattling could somehow fix this. "What the hell did you bring me here for?"

"Mimi," Palmon whispered, into the silence, still tugging. "I'm scared."

Risking a glance to her partner while she was pressing buttons and yelling at her device, Mimi saw that the living plant looked about as terrified as Mimi felt. Just short of panicking and or blacking out, in other words.

"Is that...Tailmon?"

Like a pause button was pressed, Mimi froze. "What?" Afraid what she would find, Mimi followed Palmon's outstretched arm to a...crater with a white spot in the middle. Tailmon. And not just any random cat, but Kari's. Mimi could tell. And Tailmon _did not look good_.

It felt like being dropped in a bath of ice cubes. A strangled noise of horror left her throat.

And unfortunately, as Mimi went into shock, the other dozens and dozens of beings in the hall came out of theirs.

"Majesty," one whispered, lifting a dark head to look at the Ugly And Bony With The Evil Eye.

"I want them alive." Was the cold reply and it was only when Mimi's eyes flashed to the digimon with horror, that she saw the form it (he?) was standing over. A human form, crumbled and looking lots familiar. "Find out how they got here."

"Yes, Highness," the first digimon replied without so much as a twitch and the face and terror, suppressed by shock inside Mimi exploded into full-blown panic just in time for her to throw herself at the ground. What sounded like sharp objects sizzled through the air over her head and, instead of whimpering, Mimi was starting to get her act together.

Palmon, too, judging by her stronger voice. "Mimi!"

It wasn't a cry for help or of fear from her partner, but more like a vocal sign that she was ready. Mimi clenched her digivice just as hard as she clenched her teeth when she scrambled up. Her head ducked, Mimi drove for cover behind one of these large columns that stood around everywhere.

Her cover was only one sided and it didn't help, much, but it gave Mimi the reassurance she needed to focus on her digivice. For what triggered Palmon's evolution had always been the purity of Mimi's thoughts.

That, unlike what it sounded like, was never easy. Very quickly and very simply multiple thoughts or emotions were involved. Thoughts like 'have them gone' implied 'so that they can't attack me anymore', 'so that we'll be save', 'because I'm scared'. That wasn't pure. Purity only came in the heat of the moment, when there wasn't time for anything but that absolute simplicity. It made causing Palmon's evolution on purpose very difficult. Made it more difficult the more experienced Mimi got. The higher the level, the higher the difficulty.

It was extremely difficult now. She had no idea what to focus on. Which emotion to use as her focal point. Too many things were racing through her head in the precious couple seconds she'd already wasted. _Where's Kari? I'm scared. What happened? I don't want this. Is Tailmon alright? I don't want to die. Where am I? What is going on? What are we gonna do? I don't want to be here. What can I do? When can we finally go home again? I want home._

Light broke through her closed eyelids and Mimi clung to it with fierce determination, not allowing her thoughts to wander even when she heard her partner announce her evolution.

_"Palmon...warp evolution to...Rosemon!"_

_What_? Cracking her eyes open, Mimi allowed herself to stare at the evolution in complete disbelief. Her thoughts hadn't been in any semblance of purity!

Staring, Mimi saw the residual light fade from around her partner, revealing a female digimon. Her head was half humanoid, half a rose's blossom, her body seemed to be mostly that of a woman except for a few small detail. Thorn vines grew across her torso, around her arms and ended far past her hands. A leaf-like cape hung from her shoulders.

Her feet ending in very high heels, she very much looked like the adult woman to Lilimon's teenaged appearance.

It was around the time when the glow had faded from her partner, that Mimi noticed the column she had been hiding behind was actually excluding the very same in a greenish-blue shade. Mimi thought she heard laughter, joyful and surprised. Laughter in her head only.

_That voice again._

It was annoying.

Battle broke out.

Rosemon fanatically tried to protect Mimi against the many attackers before the _serious ones_ got involved and Mimi heard some voice who was the reason they were in trouble in the first place laughing in her head. A trap then?

How many enemies were there anyway? Mimi glared at her digivice and impulsively slammed it against the pillar in anger. _All this stupid thing's fault!_

What she didn't expect was her digivice and hand to go right through the mass her back was leaning against. Nor did she think it possible that when the pulled her hand back out, that there was another hand wrapped around hers. (Again, she heard the voice, incomprehensible but much louder this time.)

Most definitely, having a blond girl struggle out of a supposedly very solid surface like it was the local swimming pool and landing sprawled in Mimi's lap, gasping.

* * *

><p>Zoe was normal.<p>

Standing out was not something she liked or that she did. Not in her early childhood in Japan, and then later in Italy not much beyond that she was a foreigner and even then only until she had mastered that language. It hadn't taken long.

After that she'd fit right in, and been happy with it. She'd had friends, some close, some not and even boys she was interested in (as much as any twelve year old could be). During sleepovers, she'd giggled with the others, during the days passed notes in lessons and spend the afternoons playing and shopping and talking.

Italy had been great. For a long time she'd felt more at home there than in the country of her birth.

Once she had returned, she hadn't fit it, though she had certainly tried (and eventually succeeded).

The Japanese culture had been stifling, the people inflexible and intolerant. Anything new or strange had been watched not with curious interest but with intolerance. In a way, Zoe, being half Japanese and half Italian had been the worst. If she were a complete foreigner, some of her temperament and habits could have been explained, but since she was half, with her early childhood spend in Japan, and yet with cultural habits dominated by foreigners, she had been shunned. She'd had stood out. But she had never wanted to.

Because Zoe was a determined, simple girl with simple needs.

It had been difficult, but all she had wanted was to fit in, to have friends, giggle together and have fun. She hadn't seen a reason to go to the toilet together, though, or to hold her tongue and compliment things she found dread ugly.

Zoe accused them of intolerance, but maybe it was her who was truly that.

Her adventures in the digital world taught her a great many things. First and foremost, how to fight and how to survive. What was necessary and what was not. But she also learned to understand and be compassionate, that there were always two sides to a conflict, often more. She had learned that to make peace, all sides had to be settled or understood and she had to find a middle way between all of them. Zoe had learned and brought the way to practice.

After her ten-minutes-adventure, she'd found real, normal, human girl friends. Zoe had learned to see where they came from and adapted. It hadn't always been easy, and biting down on her temper was difficult at the best of times, but it worth it. There were just some things boy friends were no good for, no matter how close.

(She'd told them that, too. Takuya had wrinkled his nose in disgust, Tommy had been confused, Koji had donned his masterfully blank face, Koichi had smiled somewhat apologetically and JP had been caught between disappointment and relief. She'd laughed at them.)

Zoe knew what she wanted to do with her life, knew what her future looked like. School was a boring past time, but it did have its uses and she'd intended to milk them for what they were worth, then she'd secure herself a place at a university for fashion designing, which she'd take up after her career time as a model would be over. Somewhere in between she'd have lifelong girl friends, somewhere and perhaps find herself a handsome man to stick with.

Perhaps her life's plans were a bit ambitious, but they were still normal.

Truly, though, the most extraordinary thing about her was not that she was mildly normal but that she desired not to stand out. And that too, was why she struggled.

The second way to make peace was the one she preferred in reality.

"Make all opposition move out of your way. And then be friends with those that still want," she'd told Ayumi, jokingly, on a subject that only Zoe made a connection to the two paths tactics can take.

Ayumi had laughed. "I'd like to see that." She'd said and Zoe had had to bit her tongue.

Her mother had supported her in her dreams and ambitions. She had said it suited a woman to be determined and know what she wanted. Supposedly, it made them more beautiful, more feminine. Zoe and her mother had spent afternoons together, huddled over papers and brochures for what prospects Zoe could have in the future. She'd had advised Zoe to do some kind of sport for her body coordination and figure.

Zoe had chosen gymnastics and she'd had strived with it. Delicate movements, spending more time upside down than on her feet, preferably agile, was what Zoe had hard won combat experience with. To her, it was easy and it was comfortable, useful and peaceful. (Her shoulder blades tickled and she almost but always not _quite_ felt her wings.)

Out of the six of them, Zoe knew she was not the only one doing activity of a _certain_ kind. (Koichi was very good with naginata. Koji had already practiced kendo before. Takuya pushed karate somewhere between his soccer practice. Tommy had it more difficult with finding any semblance to skiing or shooting and JP had had a great choice where to throw punches.)

All in all, Zoe was as normal as every other girl her age. But only because she wanted to be and she did not let any wall stand in her way.

She had wings to fly over it. She was the wind to brush around it.

Yes, Zoe had wanted to be normal and because of it had been normal and because there had been no need to be not normal. Through it all, she hadn't changed a bit.

* * *

><p>Dressed in a comfortable shorts, going just barely to half her tights and skin-tight top, the sun shone down on her. Light and small clouds drew shadows across the fields, the wind blew patterns into soft grass. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but the sapphire blue sky, the lively green fields and her. The world seemed to curve under her feet.<p>

Wind danced around her, adoringly, and Zoe closed her eyes to feel the caressing of speeding air on her skin. It was like a prayer answered, like coming home.

Alas this was not her time. Emerald green eyes opened, the world split in three.

A three-way glass separated her from Fairymon and Shutmon and the two from each other as they stood in a semblance of a triangle. The wind, blowing hair into her face, was not bothered by the transparent walls that were stretching into infinity.

Pale blue, like a summer sky watched her from a half covered face. Zoe knew herself well and knew a wide mouth, full of razor sharp fangs stretching from cheek to cheek, was pulled into a grin that was as humorous as a bloodbath and as threatening as a teddy bear. Pure anticipation and intimidation as she waited for a move to counter.

Fairymon for once wasn't smiling, her expression solemn and the eye guard reflecting a dark storm. Another habit of hers Zoe recognized when one wing fluttered miniature-like back and forth, with no pattern. A nervous twitching perhaps, in human terms.

Zoe tied her hair in a high ponytail, tugging a leftover strand behind her ear. "I have a guess as to why I'm here," she said, voice soundless as it was carried away by their element.

The small wings on Shutmon's head, so useful for miniature adjustments at very high speeds, unfolded. "Oh?"

Fairymon shot her counterpart a look, then smiled sadly at Zoe. "We'd had no choice."

A choice was no choice at all as it had already been made. It had been done on Zoe's behalf perhaps, but more than anything Zoe had always despised changing. She might have felt she needed to, she might have wanted to, but she had always despised it as well, feeling that if she changed she would stop being who she was. The very thought was something she despised. It had never made her life easy.

Clenching her fists, Zoe watched as her fingers moved. There were little white spots of puncture scars that Zoe had gotten from carelessly skin-diving when she'd been a kid. And there was a cut across her palm from an accident with a knife. "So I assumed. It's too late anyway, but I...regret. Mom and I had wanted to shop from that new store tomorrow. I was looking forward to that. She was too. I should think 'what am I going to tell her', but but I can't even do that." She opened her fists, studying the half-moon marks her nails have left behind. "And I'm afraid."

Shutmon let out a high screech worthy of a fury. Which was exactly what she was. It was her version of indignation, aggression and mocking laughter. An expression of confidence, expectation, and anger.

Zoe ignored her.

"I'm sorry," Fairymon said, softly, "but if we hadn't done as we did, all three of us would be dead."

Zoe snorted. Often times, Fairymon was kinder than her. She was the warm and kind summer wind, the breezes in spring and soft snow in winter. Zoe was hasher than her. Shutmon was harsher than Zoe, as the storms and tornadoes. "So instead of three of us dying it is just one. It's simple. Just math."

At first Fairymon set to object, but then she closed her mouth, pressing her lips together. There was nothing she could say because, though debatable as it was, in a way it was the truth.

It didn't matter to Zoe either way. The truth was subjective and it were facts that matted.

Fact was, Zoe was in this imaginary place because she was hesitant. She was hesitant because she was afraid. Afraid of the unknown and in an aftershock reaction.

A psychological rationalization of the human mind.

Zoe had never been fond of her human instincts and the resulting predominant reactions. It had always made her feel like she was a prisoner in her own body. Fear was an annoyance, life was a chaos of challenges to be met and conquered along the way her temperaments and desires led her.

There was no going back, no looking back, and in the end if there was anything chaining her away from what she wanted to do, even on a flighty whim, something had gone wrong.

That was how Zoe wanted to live, more than anything. That was the call that had made her Fairymon and Shutmon and later Susanoomon.

She closed her eyes again, in distinct surrender and acceptance, her arms falling to her sides. _That one thing I still have. Isn't it the most important?_ A smile tugged at her lips and the knowledge of everything already being decided without her opinion didn't matter anymore.

And besides, otherwise she would have died.

The Zoe that had been normal was gone. She had died (been killed, fallen away like dust, like snow in the sun) with all her hopes and dreams and longing and plans and friends and mom-and-I-wanted-to-go-shopping-tomorrow.

The Zoe that was left was alive, alive and she would _live with all her might._

* * *

><p>When Zoe had returned from the Digital World the first time, she had done so in good spirits –after Koichi was sure to be alive, of course-, full of optimistic energy and a list of things she had wanted to accomplish.<p>

First on that list had been to make many friends. Many, many good friends and apologize to the ones she had hurt.

That had been her goal.

And she accomplished it. She had had many friends. No longer had she been alone on class trips. No longer had she been frowned at for not accompanying a girl to the toilet. No longer had she been thought of as 'weird'.

She had understood them.

She had talked to them, cleared up misunderstandings, cultural differences and exchanged opinions.

But. But. But…

But they hadn't understood her.

And understanding was only half the deal anyway.

Understanding why one man killed another was one thing, agreeing with it quite another. Along the same line, understanding why some talked behind others backs and agreeing with it was a moon-high difference.

There was more. When they had reached the age where girls truly began to giggle behind boys' backs, something had changed.

Zoe had looked at the same targets, smiled and giggled along, but in truth her mind had wondered what was appealing about certain males.

'Wasn't he handsome?' Zoe couldn't even quite tell what a handsome face was and what wasn't. Her values had slanted away from the average, _hard._

'Weren't they just cool?' Zoe didn't see anything even mildly impressive about being able to throw a ball.

Honestly, Zoe couldn't understand why her friends gushed over people they didn't even personally know. Her friends didn't know the school's baseball ace and shouldn't they know him before they admired him? What if he was a coward, a jerk or big headed idiot?

Wasn't it much more important to judge people for who they were, for what they were capable of under pressure, how they acted in danger? If they had honor? Only under pressure the difference between those that were diamonds and those that were dust became clear.

And dust was blown away with a single breath, not even necessarily from her.

And suddenly Zoe had been back at square one, unable to understand her friends. Though, mind, she hadn't exactly acknowledged it. Though, mind, she hadn't exactly taken it lying down. What one did not know, one could learn. And Zoe had been normal.

A rift had been forming. It had been there and it had been deep and it could not be filled.

And that had only been the beginning. There had been more things.

What did she care about who was currently the most popular idol? What did she care if Rock Star A broke up with Model B? What Soccer Ace C was doing during freetime? Why should she care about what people on the other half of the earth did for that matter?

So long as it covered her basic needs, Zoe wanted as much allowance as possible, but unlike her classmates, by buying clothes and many, many survival unnecessary things she was working towards her future.

Zoe didn't care what great new functions the latest models of mobile phones were built for so long as they were capable of communication and changing into a D-tector.

At first, she had tried blaming the digital world. Everything that forced a rift, Zoe had told herself, was because of her world-saving stint.

But it hadn't worked.

Because in the end, Zoe liked the person she had become. Zoe liked that she was able to turn into a digimon and fight. And honestly, properly _fight_. Liked the power-rush. Liked to be able to tell relevant things apart from unimportant things, being practical.

Zoe _liked_ her memories and the person she had become.

And if to fit in was to give all that up, then she did not want it.

It was the second most defining decision of her life.

* * *

><p>Air filler her lungs and in that moment, Zoe thought it was the sweetest sensation of her life.<p>

Then the headache hit and she groaned, rolling over and finding herself staring up in the face of a bewildered brunette.

"Who're you?" Zoe moaned, rubbing her temple in a vain hope to stop a hammer pounding against the inside of her skull. She tried sitting up, fumbled twice and discovered she had apparently been lying in the other girl's lap.

_Embarrassing. But it could have been worse._

The slightly older girl's mouth moved, but no words came out. Zoe only noticed it on a side note, because, far more importantly, she gazed at her hand, looking for anything different. It looked the same. There was nothing different about it. Still the fine scars there, still the artfully shaped nails.

_I don't look different. Do I feel different?_

Oh yes.

Very different. Her skin was prickling, her mind felt uncontrollable, chaotic. Wild. She felt… Dare she think it – did it make her a bad person? Did it disrespect those who didn't deserve it? Did she care?

She felt _better_. Free. What was there to tell her what to do, what not to do, what to like, what not to like, what was suitable for a girl and what wasn't, what she was allowed to do, what she _could_ do?

Nothing. Nothing besides her own feelings and will. Nothing besides who she was.

It left her without a ground to stand on, without a direction to follow.

What did she need a ground for when she had wings? Did directions not always mean only as much as the promise of the goal?

"I'm Zoe," she said, finally coming to some more to her senses. Somewhat._ Introductions aren't all that important right now. Or are they? Come to think of it, where am I?_

Her head was pounding so hard, it made her eyes blur. Blood was rushing in her ears like a drum. She pressed the palms of her hands to her eyes and focused on breathing. It didn't help and it irritated her.

"Uh," said the other girl, stuttering. "I – I'm, I mean – Wait! You're the one that got me here! It's your voice!"

_What? What is she talking about? I couldn't exactly do much of anything for what feels like forever._

"I don't remember," Zoe commented, pained, forcing herself to push past the ache as she opened an eye. "But it's probably true. Thanks, I guess. For getting me out."

The other girl gaped at her. "'Thanks?' That is all you can say? How about 'sorry'!_ Have you looked around?_!"

"No." There was no real need to. Her ears had caught the clanking of weapons and her nose the smell of combat. Fear. Desires. Fierceness. Blood lust. Blood. The hum of danger. "I didn't get hit by anything yet. And I can't do much with the...headache. Do you have any idea what it's like to erase parts of your personality?" She asked rhetorically, with some bite.

If only that damn headache would go away...

Zoe couldn't even think straight! There was a fight going on and she complained about a headache! Battle, fight, dangerous – Zoe was itching for it, to test herself. Damn that -

"ZOE!"

Her head shot up, but it was already too late. Something closed around her neck, smashed her against something solid and Zoe felt that solidness give way behind her. But it was that leaching texture that pierced right into her mind, blowing past everything else. No. No! Not again! _NO!_

Someone screamed. One voice was familiar, one was not. The grip on her neck was tight and merciless, and though by putting her everything into struggling, she was risking breaking her own neck, Zoe did not care.

She'd rather die than let herself be locked up in something that helplessly tight again. She'd kill for that.

And she wasn't Zoe anymore.

Bringing a claw sharply down, plasma spat into the air from the force of contact, some of it tickling against her cheek, her clawed feet digging into a solid body. Normally, bodies gave in or burst into data. This was like hitting a wall. Nothing gave, but someone growled.

A red eye glowed in front of her, furious. "You are just tools! For me! Created for my use and my domination! How _dare_ you resist?!"

Shutmon's hidden mouth pulled into a fierce snarl and if she'd had the air to, she'd hiss right back.

"Stop it! What are you doing! Let go of her!" It was the girl from before. Anger and fear were in equal parts written on her face, tears in her eyes, and she was just a fragile human. Yet she had staggered to her feet and with her thin, breakable hands tried to pull a digimon so powerful it _reeked_ off Shutmon.

_What was she doing?!_

"Mimi!" Shouted another panicked voice.

Thorned vines shot around the tall and evil digimon. They did nothing, unable to penetrate armor or even just the thick skin, but it seemed the twines weren't easily torn either, because the digimon was forced a step backwards by the pull.

An uproar from digimon of all kinds traveled through the air. Offended, indignant, furious, aggressive.

The hand opened around her neck, lest Shutmon got dragged along and away from the prison, instead leaving Shutmon half stuck in a mass that wanted to swallow her alive.

Another, more familiar roar drowned all the other digimon out. It was a high one, at least for the body it came from.

Garmmon's voice had a metallic edge to it that set it apart from other felines. The roar was followed by a blast of light and explosions. _A Solar Laser. He sounded strangled._

But Shutmon had no time to worry about him, because the little girl was now trying with desperate and fumbling hands to pull her out of the waiting hands of her prison. Shutmon's wings were swallowed, her back too and all the weight she put forward could not stop her from being dragged backwards. When she had tried pushing away, one of her hands had not come back and the other one,_ the girl was not letting go of._

It was the wrong moment. She should think productively, anger and frustration and violent loathing were all racing under her skin, yet she could not stop herself from being stunned by the human. The girl who had no power, who was helpless, was risking her life with every shambled, babbled reassurance she tried to give ("It's alright! It's gonna be – I'm going to get you out of there. This isn't happening! Everything is fine."), who was desperate to help a person that had dragged her into this danger.

What was she_ thinking?_ She should leave fighting up to those that actually could do it!

The red eye was watching impassionedly, coldly, like waiting for a clock to stop ticking. It made her furious, made violence lick in the metal of her claws. "Your device," Shutmon hissed. "Use it."

The girl jumped and her wide eyes rounded further. Trembling with fright, she managed not to drop the little object and held it up, almost doubting for a moment, before she raised it against the pillar. It started glowing and Shutmon felt her bonds ease.

She risked a glance at the broad enemy digimon, no three meters away from her. Still watching red glowing eye narrowed, but the kind of berserker fury that took time to ignite and was all the stronger for it built under his skin.

A drop of anxiety festered in her stomach, but that was as far as it got, for that distant, that clinical disinterest made her angry more than anything.

_Arrogance and confidence. Cruelty. They are a weakness. Playing with pray is what the foolish do._

Shutmon was not pray!

Wrenching her shoulders free, her clawed feet grated against the hard floor. One arm slung around the human, the other pointing a single claw. Faster than a bullet she shot forward when her wings broke free and _beat_. The pointed claw dug into soft matter with a slick feeling.

An agonized scream echoed through the hall and Shutmon's wide mouth was a wide, wicked grin. A single finger extended, she had aimed and hit the red eye. Oh, it was no true damage. That would have been far too easy. But it was _painful._

And that was _distracting._

The rose vines had torn apart under the energy strain the sheer fury created and Shutmon stood in a normal arm's reach, never mind the long bony arm's reach, as long as the enemy digimon was tall, but using that advantage was not an instinctive move. Every digimon was programmed for battle at least in some part. Those that were the higher evolutions, those that were powerful had combat experience, all of them and some instinctive reactions could be channeled into something different with practice, with mental preparation.

Shutmon had no doubt, that while this digimon had the experience to do so, he was too powerful a being, still forced to deal with the unexpected, and he had all but admitted that he was not used to resistance. Definitely not resistance when he let the weight of his fury bear down on someone. It gave openings. It gave chances.

_Playing with food is inviting hunger._

Every predator knew that. This one was clearly human-typed.

She flapped her wings, lifted off the ground, vaulted over the digimon's head, spun and sent a one-handed Wind of Pain at it. As expected, it didn't do much. A Rosemon whipped a wave of attacking digimon into the ground, then came at her to fish the human from her arms.

Shutmon handed her over gladly, her mind racing a mile a second. In her bones, she already knew the only option they could take. Shutmon _hated_ running. "Retreat." She whispered to the plant digimon, who, to her credit, only gave her a nod.

With a shout of "Rose Cradle!" red petals fell like snow and digimon dropped to the floor, not damaged, not defeated, only unconscious. It wouldn't hold long, not with this many, and so many moderately strong ones involved, but they didn't have to either. Distraction._ Run._

Rosemon did, cradling the human in her arms as if she were a fragile cargo. Which she was, by current standards. Shutmon saw the girl look over the plant digimon's shoulder, afraid and full of dread. They raced towards one of the tunnels, Shutmon did not follow and when the girl realized, she started shouting.

And was wildly ignored, by all. The pain of stabbing out an eye was losing its effect quickly, and the digimon had gathered himself in the hardly half minute that had passed. The sleeping spell had had no effect on it either.

Shutmon shot towards Koji, collapsed in sleep and as human. _Sleep? Battered? How much is he hurt?_

Just as she had picked him up, a high pitched scream stabbed her ears.

No longer flying, Rosemon was crouching on the floor, in midst of waking enemies, holding the human with both hands and a Murmuxmon standing in their way. Not one of those again!

Murmuxmon were pathetic cowards and Shutmon had no patience to deal with one. She was fast, she was vicious and in another couple seconds she was right on top of the magician digimon and, with her arms holding her friend, used her momentum to power up a kick. Murmuxmon blocked, but Fairymon's kick still pushed it to the side. Digital code was still receding back under her alabaster skin when her butterfly feet softly touched the ground. She didn't smile.

Not needing any prompting, Rosemon stood up -

-and froze.

A shudder ran up and down Fairymon's spine, her head turning without her asking.

She found a terrifying sight.

All but shrouded in a visible sheen of dark energy, a bony arm trailing along the floor and creating a terrible grating noise. The not armored and hidden glimpses of his face were twisted into a mask of such fury, Fairymon had to fight not to back down at the sheer sight of it. Dark liquid glittered down a side of its face.

It was like watching a tidal wave build grow taller and taller in front of her, just waiting to crash down and drown her and all she fought for in its depths. A threat, a presence unlike anything she had ever experienced. As violent and evil as Lucemon's Satan Mode, but far, far more controlled. Like a typhoon condensed within a bottle.

Nervously, she swallowed.

There had to be something she could do. Something – some option...at least Koji-

Just when she had been on the verge of handing her comrade over to Rosemon to buy time for her to flee, but she never got that far either.

A sick, slurping sound, like jelly splashing on solid surface, drew all eyes to the ten columns. Like getting stretched, the columns grew thinner and thinner, until they snapped like rubber. A brown haired girl slumped to the ground. JP toppled to the floor, groaning. Four orbs of light floated suspended in the air, one of a metallic silver color, which shot off first, one a light brown, one a dark brown and one deep blue one, which made Fairymon irritated just by looking.

It streaked past her, formless, yet a ghost of Lanamon's smirk hung over it. Quickly followed by the remaining three hostless Spirits, the silence was absolute.

* * *

><p>This is the chapter for December. There wasn't a chapter last month and to those who didn't notice, I always do put up a notice about it on my profile.<p>

Introducing Zoe is one of those scenes that I have been thinking for as long as I have been writing this. I scrapped it often, thought up different situations and reactions, but her character mostly always stayed the same. She is the only girl in a band of boys and the only one who actually managed to control her beast spirit the first time she used it. And she was only twelve when she did it. Shutmon didn't exactly strike me as the nice bird-woman next door either. For those reasons, her character has always been fascinating to me and I had been looking forward to introducing and writing her. She is probably my favorite character out of all seasons.

About Palmon's evolution...I had always been thinking that if I evolved her higher, it would not be to Rosemon. In the end I didn't have much choice. The digimon wiki I'm getting most my facts from had only either Rosemon or some flying cactus that didn't look very female at all. So Rosemon it was. On the upside, there is much material on Rosemon. I guess I shouldn't complain...

Do you have suggestions? Critique? Likes? Dislikes? Complains? Or things you noticed?

TBC.


	46. Digital World: mirroring Metal

Sephirothmon = Sakkakumon

Mercuremon = Mercurymon

Calamaramon = Calmaramon

* * *

><p>Chapter 45: Digital World: deceiving and reflecting Metal<p>

* * *

><p>His fingers were racing over the keyboard, needling holes at the programs where he could. There were too many Datamon here, most of them willing, that he was under no illusions that whatever damage he did would hold long. He didn't really care. Even a stone in His Majesty's path looked tempting at this point.<p>

_Is this was going crazy feels like?_

For all that he had had a hand in the majority of the fortress' programs, harming them was far more difficult than he'd thought. For the life of him, he couldn't understand how the girl had, judging by appearances, managed to hijack the transportation system _on accident_ and then further proceeded to take one of the most secured 'objects' out of her hold, also on accident.

Risking a side glance to the monitor, he was treated to the sight of the Wind Spirit stabbing his Majesty's eye out. He knew what his eyes told him, but he had difficulty to believe it.

_That eye – isn't that? No way – That's- _

It was! His Majesty just lost his snake eye. No more far sight! If she'd hit good, that wouldn't heal either.

For a long moment, he just gaped, then clammed down on a burst of hysteric laughter.

Without that eye...

Without the gift that allowed him to see everything in the digital world when he so pleased, His Majesty was actually-

He no longer had the time to waste on laughing. Without that eye, there were a lot more things he could still damage.

First things first, he finished accessing the tightest security locks, put in the stolen password, and watched a bar load on screen. _One percent. Five percent. Nine percent. _

Not allowing himself the pleasure of watching the cracking of the lock, which was holding down that what his Majesty _desired_ most, the Spirits, he switched chairs and terminals and went to work on the next thing that without those cursed eyes wouldn't be easily repaired.

He had given the wrong time for operation Nobel Revival already, so there was that, but not even in the same dimension anymore now now, there was nothing he could do to further delay it. DarkQinglongmon, still existing in its very own sub plane of existence, was going to die soon. The sovereign had access rights to the digital world that no one else had, and the ruling voice in the number, size and state of gates because of it. To open a gate for - and subsequently convert - something the size of the fortress to real world matter was an act that was too costly for even a sovereign, though. The fallen digital ruler was going to die soon. Not even, if it were still possible, aborting the process would save the dragon's life.

As it was, the gate had already been opened, the fortress and everyone inside already being downloaded _right now_.

Biting his thump, the young man stared at the numbers on the screen.

Saving Qinglongmon wasn't possible at this point. Not that he could see. Not with the limited time he had to think about it. Qinglongmon had become DarkQinglongmon anyway, so there was also the question of if it even_ should_ be saved. It was a holy dragon and those were absurdly strong. Making a digimon dark evolve was one thing, turning it back into its holy counterpart much more difficult. In fact, he didn't even know if it was possible. With what he had done (or not done), he didn't have any moral ground to stand on anymore, but unleashing a dark digimon like that to wreak havoc did register on his very high set bars of 'consequences of relevance'.

With that in mind, there was something-

Briefly, he wondered what kind of person it made him that he decided on the behalf of a stranger that they didn't want to live the life they had and pulled the life support. He decided it hardly mattered. Having one more life on his tally, even that of a holy digimon, was hardly a drop in the bucket at this point. Even more so compared to the countless lives he might take by implication if he let DarkQinglongmon go.

_It's all only hypothetical, though. It's not like I even have the choice._

What he had instead was this: pull the 'life support' and kill it early to delay the plans of the one who put it in life support in the first place or don't.

It was hardly a choice and he had already been cracking the program paths before he had made the conscious decision that would result in killing DarkQinglongmon and leave the Fortress stranded somewhere between the real and digital world. At least temporarily.

That was going to be a joke. His Majesty's grand invasion getting lost on the way. How humiliating. The thought brought a grin to his face and he couldn't resist glancing at the other screens. _Ninetyseven percent._ On anotherr, a butterfly digimon and a plant digimon were at the end of their rope, His Majesty the most furious he had ever see.

_Hundred percent. _

The prisons fell open and almost half of the elemental cores that his Majesty had gone to personally hunt for the sake of completely and absolutely conquering and ruling multiple worlds at once escaped in streaks of light.

It was wonderful and satisfying to watch. The result of his hard work and the price he'd pay for with his life.

* * *

><p>If there was something the Spirits of Steel couldn't stand then that would be the high and mighty attitude of self righteous heroes. If they would tell this to their fellow legacies, they'd roll their eyes and mutter about backstabbing, ambition, that there were things that could be too organized (or that organizing was just simply useless sometimes) and annoyances. Even the Light Spirits, ever so practical and inconsiderate to selected circumstances, would eye them oddly for being painstakingly nitpicking about the smallest details every hour of the day.<p>

But those imbeciles just didn't get it.

Structure was the key to success, knowledge a virtue, and that included knowledge about what was eaten for breakfast, where the food came from, who was where at what time and where they planned to go and how to make all run smoothly. Those details could be decisive in a battle. The more knowledge they had the better they could outmaneuver a potential enemy. In their roles in life, enemies were things that could appear at any moment and something that one was better to assume would appear any second. Therefore it was only logical to be as attentive to details every hour of the day as when battle heightened senses cataloged everything automatically.

They'd think the others would know better, all of them, given that as Sephirothmon they had driven the human hosts almost to ruin precisely by paying attention to details, deducing weakness from that and using it against them. Psychological warfare made half the battle. At least.

Out of his fellows, no one had an appreciation for the fine art of deception and mind games, always preferring to fight like barbarians and crushing the enemy into the ground with brute force.

Mercuremon would sniff and pretend not to be associated with them.

Of course those situations were all hypothetical. They might know the other spirits and spirit holders well enough to predict their actions and every two words stumbling out of their mouths, but that knowledge was purely intellectual. Not even once had they interacted with the others close enough for casual behavior. Not since the times of AncientWisetmon at least and they were not inclined to let those times count. The years spend serving Cherubimon didn't count either since they hadn't been in their right mind then.

Still, just because the scenarios were all hypothetical didn't mean they weren't true. It was for those reasons that they had decided if they were ever put in the unfortunate situation where they would have to call for a host, they'd choose one who understood where they came from.

Someone who mirrored them and who reflected back at the world what the world threw at them. The Spirits of Steel didn't want adaptability (though that too) as much as they valued the mental fortitude to give as good as they got_ exactly as they go_t. The ability to be willing to strike back in the same manner as they were struck at, no matter how underhanded, no matter how repulsive the strategies, was a talent that wasn't to be underestimated.

Deception was one half of their characteristics after all and deceptions could be applied in many forms in many places, all for the sake of giving them the best possible advantage. Moral high ground was good so long as it lasted, but not a necessity and definitely not something to plan detours around.

They were Steel, reflecting and fascinating to look at, but deadly.

Those were the requirements they had for a host. The traits that could not be done without. Traits they had not encountered in their own world or in the human counterpart.

That they sensed the presence of such a person as soon as they snapped free of their confinement was a lucky chance they didn't want to know the odds of.

They resented how weak they were without a body, however they were not above admitting that there were certain advantages in being small and fast.

Blowing past lowly digimon, streaking through twisted corridors, spiraling up stories, they knew where they wanted to go, the presence standing out like gold amongst dirt.

_Covered in dirt too, perhaps_, Mercuremon mused as they laid eyes on the one they had chosen. The one they had decided to give the chance that their presence would bring instead of withdrawing into the safety of the female human's device, which certainly would have accommodated for their presence.

(Though, under circumstances they had to consider that maybe their choice was not as uninfluenced as they proclaimed it was. In that room, there had been at most two devices. The Wood, Water and Earth Spirits were just as powerless as Steel and no matter how they calculated, there was over a fifty-fifty chance of being stuck together in one of the two devices with at least one of the others and they could really do without listening to proverbs every other minute or to childish swearing or to self compliments...The other three could do on their own.)

The human they had chosen was filthy, run down, unkempt. He seemed to keep to a minimum of hygiene and decorum at least, though. Now he was staring a them, eyes round and shocked.

"Shit," the human cursed, voice low and shaking, "what are they doing here?"

That would have to go, they decided. Swearing was very undignified.

The human looked warily at them, then carefully edged around them and glanced out the door they had come from. Judging by the intake of breath, he discovered the digimon that had been temporarily knocked out by their own stupidity when they had tried to strike at the Spirits and instead hit each other.

The human stared at them, quizzical and angry. "How the hell do these things operate? The others are all gone. Why not this one? Damn." The eyes took them in, sharp and calculating, the brain behind them working. Cautiously, the human stretched a hand out at them and when they didn't move away, eyed them critically.

Their glow faded, leaving them as two figurines that nonetheless radiated power. The human swore under his breath again, quieter this time, stuffed them into pockets, and sat back down to let his hands do things they still needed to do.

"_Why do you not simply ask, Yutaka Himi?" _They questioned, voice audible only to the human, who jumped so hard he hit his knees on the terminal.

"...Who's...there?" He demanded, tone decidedly different, full of fear, true fear and terror, but also a decided lack of regret beneath it.

"_We are Mercuremon and Sephirothmon, the Spirits of Steel." _

Silence, then the human dug them out of his pockets and stared again. "What?" It was more a statement than a question.

They decided to interpreter it as a question nonetheless. "_You were asking how we operate and why it is that we are here while the others have, as according to you, left."_ Mercuremon pushed to the forefront of their consciousness. _"The matter is quite simple. __Due to our imprisonment, we lack energy, and w__ar has descended, making the need for a host apparent. We chose you, Yutaka Himi, sibling of the host of one of our fellows."_

The human's expression blanked. "Excuse me?" Mercuremon found light amusement in it.

"_As I told you. We chose you as our host."_

"If you are capable of thought, then _what_ are you still doing here? His Majesty is hunting you. There won't be any second chances at escape," he said, low and hard, demonstrating a certain degree of adaptability.

They were pleased. It looked more and more like this human deserved the chance they took when they picked him. _"Did you not place your betrayal at the best possible timing? We can comprehend that much. We sense you did not do it for reasons that are light, nor do you place any value in the morality of the choices you make for reaching that reason."_ Mercuremon's tone was approving and casual._ "You are the first human we have encountered with the traits a host of ours would need. We want that. No more reason, no less."_

"That's all?"Demanded the human, eyebrows lowering into something hard. Doubtlessly, he was thinking hard. That was good. The Spirits of Steel preferred consideration to impulsiveness, caution to leaps of faith.

"_Yes." _There was no need to sugarcoat the truth into something that looked more tempting when it wasn't. Metal reflected nothing but the truth back. _"We don't care for more and I expect you don't either. In this partnership, there is usage for both of us. You have a body, we have the power."_ Not much, not now, but enough. And moreover, they could challenge the human's energy as well, conduct it into the needed forms. That too, was power._ "What do you say, Yutaka Himi, Tommy Himi's only brother?"_

The human was thinking, still, weak body tense. Mercuremon read fear, oh so much terror, apprehension, dislike, rejection at the idea, but it didn't stop him from considering the deal. "I won't be controlled," said the human, tone rough with absolution as something went out of his shoulders. Resignation. Using advantages given no matter the personal discomfort. Yes, this human seemed fitting. "Fine," he gritted out. "But only if you have ways to make us escape, because I won't accept that His Majesty gets one of you back just for this."

Mercuremon smiled, though his material form didn't change at all from being a little object. _"If we can make the changes necessary to your body..."_

Narrowed eyes stared down on them as they were held in bony hands. There was no trust there and a lot of suspicion. "What changes?"

"_Those necessary for evolution. It won't be anything visible," _Mercuremon answered smoothly, not an inch of regret at what he didn't mention. It wasn't relevant. If the accepted this partnership then there was no reason to elaborate on what those mentioned necessities described. It was the fine print. The irrelevant details that stood on the path.

Yutaka Himi wouldn't need to be bothered with the knowledge when it only cause trouble.

The human gave grudging permission, understanding that they wouldn't ask for it if it were nonsense, and both Spirits sank into his hands, clicking onto their new host's data code, where Mercuremon promptly began setting up the preparations for evolution and Sephirothmon shut down to recover the energy captivity had sucked from them.

* * *

><p>Lanamon and Calamaramon had high standards, unlike a certain other duo who had settled for the first potential host that had crossed their path those few years, no matter how much below average.<p>

But whatever. Let them be stupid. Fit them just right.

The Spirits of Water had better things to do.

At this moment, it was looking for a hole in the network. Firewalls were annoying. There was someone beyond it, they could feel it, who would fit them beautifully. Someone who was like them and who knew how to be amazing.

And in more than just appearances.

Looks were good, but a true idol shined from the inside. A true idol stood steady in the ups and down of popularity, and whatever else less important things life might throw. Someone who was living, truly living, on the elaborate stage that drew many eyes and not just holding up a status quo, someone who never stood still.

They had noticed someone like that as soon as they had been in a state to notice things, and were eager with anticipation to meet them. A host, a partner, someone to fight with and not someone they controlled. Someone who lived up to the high level they were. Someone who was capable of holding up a three way balance. Someone with whom they'd shine and who was at the same time like a tsunami.

Lanamon was giddy, Calamaramon was steady in her presence, expectations high, and they both grew more and more frustrated with this stupid wall that kept them from meeting that person. Who'd it be? What'd she be like?

If that stupid wall wouldn't be there-

They poked at it, searching for holes to slip through, restlessly, even when every passing moment drained more of their already depleted energy and sleep encroached like a heavy blanket.

Somewhere, distantly, the Spirits of Water were aware that they weren't alone, presences as old as their memories and as familiar as age, colored in the sense of Earth and Wood, grazing through the infinite depths of the network until they were so far separated that they lost all sense of them.

Time became relative, lost in their submerging consciousness, and eventually they weren't even awake enough to form coherent thought, lost to drifting around in the endless streams of data.

They felt disappointed, impatient, but in the end it didn't matter, for since the moment AncientMermaimon had decided with the others to pass her legacy down in the form of bodiless spirits, the search for a suitable host had been programmed into their data. So long as they existed and so long as data existed, the programs that shuffled data would lead them to what their search instincts had locked onto.

It was just a matter of time, they were convinced.

It was only a matter of time so long as they weren't caught again by the programs that were doubtlessly searching through all the limitless data of the net to find them to chain them again.

A matter of time.

A game of chance.

* * *

><p>It was like seeing the sun for the first time after years of darkness when air rushed against her skin. Kari fell to the floor, free. There was no substance sticking to her, no acid irritating her skin and trying to eat her alive.<p>

Panic and boneless terror still swallowed her mind, but with every breath that she was able to take, it subdued. _One, two, three, four..._

Kari counted, needing something to focus on against he stream of sensations that were still crashing down on her. Her neck and throat hurt. Her back burned. One breath after the next, her heart pounding in her ears and adrenaline rushing her blood, Kari tried to get herself into a semblance of control.

It sat in her bones, was written into her life that being useless was the worst thing that could happen to her or to the others or to Tailmon-

_Tailmon!_

_Beaten, still trying to protect her, the snap of bones breaking-_

Kari's thoughts snapped into focus with fear driven clarity, her head shooting up and around to look for her partner. There were many digimon moving wildly around, fighting chaotically, the large chamber they were in was sparely lit, the blackness of the walls gleamed, but Kari's eyes just drifted over them without comprehension.

Her eyes fell on a crater so smooth, it looked carved from an artist and the fleck of white inside it, unmoving and uncared for.

Kari scrambled to her feet, not noticing the battle raging around her, the attacks flying even as one distant explosion made her fall and scrap her knees. She couldn't seem to get her legs under her and crawled over to look at the center.

She screamed, high pitched, and tumbled down the crater in her hurry. If she got more bruises, she didn't notice.

Tailmon's white fur was flecked with red, her head most of it and her tail was twisted at unnatural angles. Just by looking, her breathing seemed painful.

"Tailmon!"

Kari picked her up, careful with moving her, and checked the wounds. How much was broken, she couldn't tell but for the head wound was till bleeding. Helplessly she glanced around for something - or someone- to help her, but what she found was nothing but a battle.

It was chaos. As far as Kari could see, there weren't any defined sides. Large snakes attacked humanoid archers, centaurs stomped on those too close and seemed to be the only ones somewhat having a formation. On one end of the hall, a storm of rose petals and lightning raged, followed and overwhelmed by a wave of darkness. The wind was violent enough to tear even at Kari in her protected position.

A form stumbled down into the crater and Kari had to blink several times to realize that she knew the person.

"Mimi!"

Mimi looked close to crying, her expression angry as she picked herself up, shoving an unconscious body that had fallen on her when they had come stumbling down off. She had scratches, her hair torn like she had survived a hurricane, and was gasping for every breath so hard she almost seemed to be passing out.

Kari felt suddenly close to crying herself. There wasn't any help. Only more that needed help. Kari would have to deal on her own. But there was_ so much_ blood. How much blood did a digimon have -

Bleeding. She'd have to stop that. Where did it come from? She needed material to stop the bleeding. Just once she tried doing it like in the movies, tearing at her shirt for fabric, and when it didn't work, stripped the entire shirt and used that. It seemed to work some, because the shirt wasn't soaking through and Tailmon wasn't bursting into data.

"We - need to get away from here," Mimi's voice eventually penetrated her limited vision, still out of breath. "We aren't going to make it like this," her breath hitched, full of more frustration. Mimi was like that. When she had cried and whined and it didn't help, she got angry. The elder girl helped her tying Kari's shirt to Tailmon's head and, though with shaking fingers, picked up the cat's tail to lay it across her torso where it wouldn't swing around even with Tailmon in Kari's arms.

"I-" said Kari, because until now she hadn't thought about where she was or how she had gotten there. But with Tailmon in as stable a state as she could give now and not in immediate danger of dying, she could think about it. She shook her head to clear it. "How did you get here? I thought Koji was..."

Kari remembered the person Mimi had dragged along with her and let her eyes fall on him. That was Koji. There was blood tickling on his face as well, but not much. He had fought and come out like that? He didn't seem to be moving any time soon.

Mimi glared at the boy, though her anger didn't seem to be directed at him in person. "I don't know! One moment Palmon and I were in a nice, peaceful field, then the next we were here." She shook her digivice in angrily in her hands. "Only that it got to have something to do with this, because it even saved one of them." She pointed at Koji. "And somehow Palmon warp evolved without me even being good for a normal one. It's being odd!"

Kari bit her lip, not daring to hope. "Who else is here? Or are you alone?"

They were sitting in the middle of a battle royal, attacks flying over their heads and the rim of the crater, shockwaves battering the air and they were able to sit down and talk, undisturbed.

Kari wondered how long it would last and felt fear of the unknown crawl down her stomach. What good would it be if Tailmon wasn't going to die from her injuries only for them to be defenseless against someone who decided they were worth attacking?

"I don't know," Mimi repeated, helpless, afraid and angry. "At first only me, then I got that girl out, and they everything went too fast for me to follow, except that I think we were trying to flee and it didn't work. Then all of a sudden its this chaos." She stared at her digivice, then glanced at the raging battle. "Do you have any ideas? We can't run, not with this tall dark and scary guy being really angry with -" She gestured in the direction of another lighting strike. A boom followed that vibrated into the ground.

Kari pulled out her digivice, looking at it. In the past, whenever they had been in a pinch, the holy device would give them some kind of measure to fight back. Tailmon was in no condition to fight, Mimi's had already worked oddly and that wasn't enough. What else could they do?

Mimi held hers next to it. With Palmon evolved, it was glowing a bright green at the moment. What could they do with them? What could they do at all?

Kari hadn't felt so much despair in a long time.

* * *

><p>This is the chapter for January, just barely in time like always.<p>

Just in case you have forgotten or have never watched Frontier, Yutaka Himi is Tommy's elder brother. They didn't get really along in the flashbacks of the anime, because Yutaka thought Tommy spoiled and Tommy thought Yutaka was mean and jealous. But that was about the extend of their differences and during the battle with Sephirothmon Tommy came to realize why his brother behaved as he did and changed his opinion on him. In other words, Yutaka is an attentive, intelligent and strict older brother. Basically. What I have done to the one in this fic will of course be mentioned in the future, so of course he's a bit different.

My thanks go to **smfan** for beta-reading and giving me perspective that can really only make this story better.

Do you have suggestions? Critique? Likes? Dislikes? Complains? Or things you just plain noticed?


	47. Digital World: Thunder in the background

Blitzmon = Beetlemon

Bolgmon = Metalkabuterimon

* * *

><p>Chapter 46: Digital World: unassuming and beautiful Thunder<p>

* * *

><p>Honestly JP felt way in over his head.<p>

He was a simply guy with simple needs. Those included a comfortable social circle, friends he could rely on when he needed them (like for an umbrella back home), chocolate, and excluded pressure, responsibility-by-default and trouble he was pulled into.

Unfortunately, it seemed to be the theme of JP's life that whatever he wanted to have the least to do with ran straight into him. Case in point, there was little that could put more pressure on one than a fight for his life, responsibility always fell to him because the others had too much of a one track mind, and when trouble wasn't dogging his steps, it was dogging the others and thus it became his as well.

He wasn't quite sure who the trouble had sought out this time, but fact was that, for one reason or another, the only thing that he really understood about his current situation and whereabouts was that Fairymon was fighting, which meant that Zoe was fighting, which automatically meant that JP was going to join the fray. He was a simple guy. He didn't need to know more.

Except of course, the whereabouts of his D-tector. Which wasn't there. Which as it turned out, he didn't need. Odd, but lucky.

For now at least. Because in truth, he was crazily confused.

_Where am I? How did I get here? Why am I here? How in Zoe here? Why? Why don't I need D-Tector? Where are the others? Who's the enemy? Who are the others? What is going on? Who is against who? Why are there so many digimon fighting each other? Who's that Rosemon? Just what is happening?_

And most importantly: _Who is this frighteningly strong guy?_

Not just anyone was able to survive Shutmon and Bolgmon's combination attacks. Combination with Wind was smooth after all for everyone besides Koji and Koichi. Even fewer could hold a candle to them when the Spirits of Lighting got their tactical gears moving. The number of digimon who could beat them into the ground and make it look easy went against nil. Yet here was one.

His current confusion was only about equaled by the first hours of the first trip to the digital world. It was not a nice feeling. JP liked to know at least the basics so that he could plan. In his life, everything was strung along some rough plan, if only in the form of routine or habits. It gave him safety and stability, made him comfortable.

Right now, he had none of it.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) it wasn't exactly something new. JP was experienced enough with feeling like a duck just learning to swim. (Takuya was a wild card on the best of days and since he set their pace whenever they happened to be in the digital world – well...)

Still if only inside his own head, out of habit and for peace of mind, he planned again. It went like this: back up Shutmon/Fairymon to end the fight, then ask questions/find things out.

More he hadn't needed to know, and still didn't.

* * *

><p>Bolgmon readied his canon, anchored to the ground, and shot. The positron laser combined on impact with a cyclone of Shutmon's doing that was already swirling around razor sharp rose petals with in. It was like a wall, like a prison field, limiting and concentrating the explosion Bolgmon's attack caused and making the whirlwind collapse inwards. Double damage.<p>

Ideally.

Bolgmon wheeled back, retreating on the highest gear to ideal distance. The gun turret on his head was still sparking with residual electricity.

"Did we get him this time," asked Rosemon, trying not to sound hopeful without getting discouraged. The how many times was it now? Bolgmon was losing track.

He let his actions speak for him when he readied his arms, aiming at where the target was at most suffering from electrical shocks. And it had been a full powered Field Destroyer, too. _"Ultimate Thunder!"_

Two thunderbolts whirled away, penetrating the not yet settled dust clouds, and the Spirit of Thunder slid down and small, into a different form and Blitzmon higher mobility just barely let a streak of return energy miss him. By a hair's breath. The three digimon scattered.

Bolgmon had firepower, but was slow. Blitzmon was comparatively much faster, but not all that fast. In fact for all the Human Spirits, he was part of the slower half. It was a weakness he was well aware of and one he could only conquer with tricks. Blitzmon in comparison to Bolgmon was fast. So someone aiming for Bolgmon would not hit Blitzmon.

This was the second time he had used that trick, and it was going to be the last. One miss due to luckily timed evolution could be written off. Two could not. At least not by someone of the likes they were facing.

He hadn't been this outmatched since... not the Royal Knights. Not even they had managed this. Lucemon? Fall Down Mode? Satan Mode? Horrible enough in any case that Blitzmon doubted anyone but Susanoomon would be a match.

Because of it, he was under no illusions. When that digimon decided it had _enough_, the fight would be over. Was it testing them? Why? Something else? Or did that eye cause it more trouble than Blitzmon had expected? Possible, considering for all that it seemed furious, Blitzmon was still conscious to think.

_Keep calm. Don't think beyond the fight. Don't get scared. Do everything you can to keep up your part._

In any case, it couldn't continue like this. Even three way combination attacks were doing no damage to speak of, and that was tiring, pressure like steel weights coming down on his back. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew without a doubt that time was running out.

"Not yet?" He demanded from Rosemon, Bolgmon again as Shutmon drew the enemy's attention and he had another few seconds to fire from a distance. Getting in close would be a fatal mistake. Blitzmon unfortunately was a close combat fighter. Except for Mjöllnir Thunder, but the floor was somehow absorbing all energy attacks, so that was no good.

The other digimon didn't let him shoot. A red beam pierced through digital steel armor of his right shoulder like paper where he had been too slow to dodge. Blitzmon tumbled, rolling over the floor, coming up in a crouch only through sheer practiced motion. The pain from his shoulder at that was almost enough to dissolve his evolution.

He was too late, too slow. The digimon stood in front of him, far too close. Before he had time for another realization, Blitzmon was knocked back down, an incredible heavy weight pressing him down. A foot.

"How dare you," the digimon muttered. "How dare you. How dare you How-." The digimon didn't even seem to be speaking to him, didn't even seem to expect an answer. The remaining eye was alight with red fury. "_How dare you?_"

With every repetition, the foot was heavier on Blitzmon's chest. He heard his armor crack before he felt it. Pain exploded in his mind in a white screen and for a moment he must have blacked out, because the next thing he knew, the digimon no longer stood over him, there was uncomfortably loud screaming, and shouts and more fighting.

His mind reminded him that there had been other digimon fighting each other. Maybe that was that? His first attempt at moving didn't work so easily, but JP -and he was JP again- had expected that. So he pushed through the pain and at least managed to get his head off the ground.

Then his mind froze.

_What is that? What the hell is that?_

Zoe -and she too was Zoe again- was on the ground, half pushed up and staring at the approaching digimon. It was what that digimon held in its hands that drew all of JP's attention and that made him understand how that expression of blank fear and horror could be put on Zoe's face. It was blank, dark and it was _black._

It was the most terrible back JP had ever seen, and in some part of his mind that was still working, he had never been so much at a loss for words. Black and horrible, like a black hole, sucking him in just by looking at it. The more JP stared the less he could tear his eyes away, the less he felt the will to move. The more he felt the gears in his head stop, the less he felt anything.

It sucked him in, and all that JP could see was black, black and more black. It filled his vision, swallowed his mind and erased his identity, even when it wasn't even approaching him.

On some instinct, Zoe scrambled backwards, also not managing to tear her eyes away, not even on her feet, eyes wide.

JP did nothing as that _black black and black_ approached her. Could do nothing. Felt nothing that could make him do anything. Nothing but absolute horror and terror at the very thing that likely made JP's expression a mirror image of Zoe's.

He should move. He really should. He ought to protect her when he could. He ought to help her. Helping each other out. Being the eldest and the one who had responsibility even when he hadn't. Being terrified out his mind was nothing new. It shouldn't stop him from doing _something._

But it did. JP didn't even have enough in him to care that it did. Everything was just _black, black and more black._

And without determination, there was nothing to keep him clinging to consciousness, fight off the pain. A different kind of blackness encroached.

_"PLEASE DON'T!"_

JP blinked. It was a fearful scream, panicked. He didn't have the strength to pull his eyes away from that black orb, his eyes just barley staying open anyway, but somewhere he was relieved that it wasn't him that scream was directed at. He didn't want more expectations on him, not more hope that he would disappoint, because everything felt heavy and sluggish. Even though there was something to protect.

"Why can't you just leave her alone?!"

There were more shouts, more screams, and a scramble for steps, echoing, another shout before everything was drenched in white noise.

* * *

><p>The vessels were gone. There was no doubt about it. The Fortress had been searched from front to end, top to bottom, more than twice and there wasn't a trace of them. To make it worse, the human was gone as well. It was the first thing Murmuxmon had gone to check, looking for a target to divert His Majesty's wrath, and had come up empty. Workstation abandoned, screens lit with red warnings, but the human nowhere in sight.<p>

Its death sentence had already been set with the miscalculation (though Murmuxmon was slowly thinking more and more that it was by design) on Operation Nobel Revival. That the compartments storing the elemental vessels had released their holdings was just the icing on the cake, as was that the dimensional gate didn't seem to be opened all the way.

Yes, looking at it objectively, Murmuxmon could see how productive the humans sabotage was. If it wasn't by its design, it was by someone else's. Too convenient coincidences didn't exist. The timing was perfect, the damage maximized, the culprit gone without a trace and leaving mountains of work for the Datamon to fix.

Oh yes, it was brilliantly done. Murmuxmon could allow himself to admit to that in his mind and now could even allow it to reflect on his face (thought he wasn't so stupid as to give anything away), thanks to His Majesty losing the gift of farsight. No longer was the warlord omniscient.

Murmuxmon smelled weakness.

If His Majesty hadn't lost that eye, then he would probably be making his own preparations for a clean escape, having no intention of falling victim to a temper tantrum, but as it was now, well, there was no way to know if he twisted the truth some or other, or pushed others in the way of the fall.

"Lord Murmuxmon," a Datamon spoke up. "Please look at this."

Murmuxmon stepped to its side and looked at the screen. It was a security footage of the very same room they stood in right now. It was the human. And a Tailmon. The Tailmon was saying something, but since the recording was without tone, he didn't know what. They had digimon that could probably tell him, but Murmuxmon decided that wasn't needed, not when the Datamon added that the recording was dated only hours before the first unexpected of Operation Nobel Revival.

It was _that_ Tailmon, too.

Shame that Phelesmon had already been deleted, or Murmuxmon would have someone to point at. Sadism was a stupid habit.

The Datamon had uncovered more still and that was where things got really interesting. The footage from the last couple hours not only showed the human sabotaging various projects and in fact, as suspected, being the one responsible for opening the storage, but also that it reaped the benefits of it. That was how the human got out. Only moments before digimon came to drag it to His Majesty (turning up empty handed they had not survived, by the way), the human changed into a digmion, folded into the mirrors that made up its own body and disappeared with a snip of the fingers of the remaining hand.

_How interesting. I think it's safe to say that with this the human's death sentence will have to be canceled. Not good for me, though._

Murmuxmon supposed that it would be a good thing to have the guards be the next ones to report to His Majesty. Knocking each other out, they'd have deletion coming. He himself would not dare to face him until someone had found the answer as to how that human female appeared and then disappeared along with all the vessels and all the present digimon.

* * *

><p>"How are they?" Mimi asked, flopping down on the ground, boneless.<p>

Kari sat next to Tailmon, skin of a sickly parlor from worry and stress alone. "Going to be fine," she said, letting her eyes leave her partner's form to glance over the others that were out of commission. Boy one, boy two, and Palmon. "Thanks to the Sandilyamon. They don't much look like, but they really do have a good understanding of medicine." _Thankfully_, went unsaid. Mimi didn't know and didn't want to think about what they might be doing now if it weren't first for their miraculous escape and the aid of the digimon that had been teleported with them and finally, _finally_, returned to a less panic driven state of mind where they didn't attack everything that moved and could be talked to.

Mimi tore the plants in her hands into smaller pieces. It didn't look nice, but it didn't have to. Apparently it was important to get past the skin and more didn't matter. "They are mean, though. I don't like them."

"You don't have to like them for them to be useful," the blond girl said, not looking up as she threw the torn plants Mimi handed her into the empty bento box Mimi had been carrying around in her bag. It was filled with water and the girl had taken the chopsticks and was using them to squish the water and plant mass together. "And they don't have to like you to need your protection."

The blond. Who Mimi had (maybe, somewhat) saved. She was the only one of those that had fought (physically) that was still conscious, and looked the part. Mimi had an eye for such things and could tell the other girl was very pretty usually. Natural long blond hair, smooth skin and green eyes. But at the moment, whatever prettiness she had was overshadowed by exhaustion, sunken eyes, dirt that stuck to her sweaty skin, blood crusting the corner of her mouth, and the scratches and dark bruises that lined her skin. The more Mimi looked, the worse the girl seemed off. "Are you all right? And what was your name again?"

The rescue-ee dragged her head up to face them. Tiredness was in every line of her body, but her eyes were still bright. Adrenaline, she had said when Mimi and Kari had in between suggested that she go to sleep like Palmon, nerves on edge that wouldn't let her rest even if she tried for now. "Sure. It's nothing that won't heal," she said. "The name's Zoe. Koji is the tall one and JP the big one. I don't know who you are either, but thanks for helping us."

Maybe it was a bit backwards for what people usually did, but in between abrupt spatial misplacement, dredging up enough nerves for diplomacy to mediate between more than five dozen digimon of many kinds who were aggressive when unnerved and had been fighting each other until the shock of the floor going missing under their feet had given everything a _break_, making sure that everyone was there, that no one was dying, that they weren't going to be attacked within moments and deciding on a makeshift camp mysterious teleportation object near or not, there had been no time for introductions.

They were back on the wide plain with people-tall grass where Mimi had been before her digivice had kidnapped her. It was daytime here still, though the sun was sinking, it wasn't too cold, and luckily a river was nearby. The device had flashed, (reacted to her scream? Emotions? Really what was making it do things nowadays?) and by the time Mimi had seen things again, every digimon besides the ones that had been attacking them (not just each other) that had been in that huge hall had been dumped all but on top of Mimi's bag and that stupid box that she had stupidly decided to pick up and carry around.

"I'm Mimi. That's Kari," introduced the Chosen of Purity, feeling emotionally tired and even more tired of things just happening, but smiling, still giddy with relief. No matter how bad it was that out of the seven of them, three were out with more and less severe injuries and out of the only three awake ones Mimi was the only one who didn't look like she had crawled out of a grave. Thing could be lots better, yes, but given what they had been like not even an hour ago, that it was like this was a miracle. She felt decidedly happy about that. "We're the Chosen Children of this world. You don't need to thank us, though. It's true we have been trying to save you for some time, but it was all an accident. I don't know what happened."

"Of this world?" Zoe repeated, weary, too tired to question anything of less importance. "What do you mean of this world? This is the digital world, right? What other worlds could there be?"

Mimi blinked, twice, and Kari tore her eyes away from Tailmon. How much did Zoe not know? "This is our digital world. We are from a different human world and have a different digital world," Kari explained, her voice still strained and trying not to move more of her body to refrain from agitating her back and most of her torso. At the moment she wore only a camisole and her jeans, her pullover put aside in a bloody lump that needed washing.

Mimi still didn't know what had happened to her, but a lot of Kari's skin was red and irritated. It looked a bit like a sunburn, but only at a distance. In truth, it just seemed like her skin was too thin. Rubbed raw, but cleanly and evenly. Even a breeze had to be painful. "You came from another one and were taken because of your Spirits. Those digimon you were fighting against want them to control digimon of the same element."

For a moment Zoe stared, then she frowned, thinking about it, seemingly for now having no problem accepting that not only there were more than one different world and that she was in one of them. "...could be. I haven't heard about other Digital Worlds before, but it wouldn't be the first time someone is after the Spirits." She looked at them anew, somewhat critical and searching. "But if it's like that, don't you have your own Spirits?"

Mimi shifted where she sat. "Um, no. We don't turn into digimon." A shudder ran down her spine, even the mushroom in her hands that was going to be part of the next meal looked particularly threatening at the thought. "We have partners. My partner is Palmon and Kari's is Tailmon."

Zoe's expression cleared some, becoming a more puzzled than demanding frown. "Partner? How do you fight then?"

"We help our partners evolve," Mimi said as she broke one mushroom clumsily in half and moved onto the next. It was a good thing that she had a partner that was half plant and that Mimi had had the foresight to learn how to tell what plants were edible and what weren't. After the first time stranded in the digital world, she hadn't wanted to go hungry again.

"And they fight for you? You don't personally," Zoe wondered. There was a note of disbelief in her tone.

Mimi pulled a face. "It's scary enough as it is. I don't want to fight, I can't fight and I don't want Palmon to fight either. But she protects me and of the digimon that attack us, there aren't any that stop by talking to them." Being Digidestined meant that every evil digimon wanting to conquer either or both worlds had to get rid of them first. Davis had proclaimed they were heroes. Joe, rather morbidly had muttered about it being like having a bounty.

"That's interesting," said Zoe slowly after a pause of deliberation. Mimi wondered what it was that came to her mind first, because she was sure there had been something. "Instead you can do things like this." The blond gestured with a wave of her hand around to indicate their sudden displacement. Their saving grace.

Mimi shook her head. "My digivice did that on its own. I've got no idea how that worked." She had deactivated her digivice at first opportunity before it got another bright idea and though it had stopped its odd coloring with that, it hadn't stopped the resonating greenish blue gleam of the stupid box. In fact, if she only walked a few steps into the high grass she could see it dazzle in the center of a ring of flattened fauna. It was eery.

"How does it usually work?" Asked Zoe with polite interest.

"It reacts to danger, feelings or certain mindsets," Kari said when it took Mimi too long to find the words. "And if there are certain conditions, like outside help or digimentals, different evolutions can be triggered." She looked thoughtful. "But I don't actually know more. I haven't ever thought about it even though they save us sometimes and we depend on them. How does yours work?"

With the chopsticks, Zoe picked the blades of grass out of the now green tinged water. It didn't look special or useful, but according to the Sandilyamon, this kind of mixture had nourishing properties. Could be applied directly onto the skin or eaten. "Our mobile phones turn into D-Tectors when we go to the Digital World. Usually at least." She shrugged. "They just make sure our data overlays with that of our Spirits correctly and safely. I know that when we evolve higher, there are some formulas stored in them to how the data has to get arranged, but they don't do anything active." She picked the last piece of grass out and handed it back to Mimi. A bit of the water grass mix splashed over the side. A bento box was too small to substitute for a pot, but given the situation, they were lucky to have any kind of container.

"Basically like railways, I suppose," Zoe added, eventually. "Personally, I'd be interested to know where the energy for stuff like this," again, she gestured with her hand, "comes from, if not from you or your…partners." She yawned. She picked up a piece of mushroom, dipped it into the liquid and ate it. Then she pulled a face, but swallowed bravely.

That didn't look too promising. Mimi eyed the broken mushrooms (breaking stuff into smaller pieces made it seem like it was more). _I wish I had packed some seasonings into my bag, just in case._

* * *

><p>This is the beta-ed version! Thanks to smfan!<p>

This is the chapter for February. Hope you like it. There is some unexpected girl time happening.

I heard from a friend that there is a continuation of the Adventure 01 anime coming. I didn't believe him at first and did a bit of research. Honestly, I still can't believe it. It going to mess with my timeline, unfortunately. I'm definitely interested, though. 01 and 02 were finished, even with an epilogue. I wonder how they are going to cut that open again.

Do you have suggestions? Critique? Likes? Dislikes? Complains? Or things you just plain noticed?


	48. Real World: The avarage tilts sidewards

Chapter 47: Real World: Where the average tilts

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><p><em>Pressure, not painful yet confining. Heaviness. Eternal darkness, cold seeping into every matter, full of solitude and loneliness. Dissonance, breaths not taken, power. Ray of light, crystallized, breaking into colors for what may be an instant, for what may be days. Darkness, cold ever present, softly swaying motion, dark and infinite.<br>_  
>The sun was steadily rising over Odaiba, tainting the sky orange and piercing through curtains to awake school girls who wanted to sleep some more.<p>

Jun groaned, rolled to the side and draped her pillow over her eyes, finding comfort in the habit of it. Under her blanket, her body was freezing and she burrowed deeper into the covers, pulling her knees up to her chest and blowing her breath onto her frozen skin. She shuddered, not just from the cold. A nightmare stealing her peaceful slumber, the rest she really, really, needed was not a good way to start the day.

Even more so when it refused to leave in Jun's waking hours. Jun closed her eyes and tried to focus on warmth. The warmth her own breath, of the blankets around her. Of the blood in her veins, which was definitely cold and sluggish like syrup no matter what the residual fear has to say about it. If only the usually comfortable darkness under the blankets on her bed would not make her feel caged and claustrophobic...

The alarm exploded into noise beside her head.

With a practiced motion, an arm reached out, patting around on the bed-stand and fiddled with the old fashioned clock.

Blessed silence followed. But not for long.

"Jun! Are you up?"

Muttering something incomprehensible that was in no way loud enough to reach her mother downstairs, Jun threw her covers back ignoring the blast of what felt on her skin to be freezing air, determined to go about her day like usual and not let some fragment of her sub consciousness be in the way of it. Very little, Jun had discovered over the course of her life, was still standing after she steamrolled over it - if it did...well, then it was something worth turning her attention to.

Steamrolling in this case meant sticking to habit and not doing anything different just for the heck of it. Positive thinking. Very important.

Reluctantly, Jun crawled out of her oh-so-warm cocoon of blankets, groggily blinking at the distance between her and the door. The distance between her and the door seemed to become bigger every day. Irritation worked wonders for energy, still...

_Damn._ When was the last time she's had a not early morning?

Weak and unmotivated, Jun rolled once more, staring up at the ceiling. Where, her brain registered, a bob of color flashed across her vision, yelling, "Wake up, Jun! Wake up, upupup!"

Jun rolled to the side. Hopmon landed next to her, grumbling disappointed.

_'Get up, Jun. Up, up, up. Staying doesn't make it better'_, she told herself. _'The bathroom is not further away than yesterday. That's just your mind, playing tricks. Plus if you don't, Hopmon is going to attack you. You have a nice room. You don't want to end up having to redecorate it because Hopmon wanted to help you.'_

With a groan, Jun heaved to all fours and then to her feet. She yawned, tugging her bathrobe over her shoulder and stumbled to the door.

Yawning, she made her way into the shower and let the cold water startle her awake.

With her clinging tiredness blown away, Jun found herself immediately in a better mood, switching to hot water as she hummed. Awake, however, Jun was never one for inactivity and far from enjoying a hot shower, she got bored quickly. After slipping into her bathrobe and wrapping a towel around her head, Jun passed her room again on the way down. "Breakfast, Hopmon."

Despite having been asleep in her warm blanket, Hopmon reacted immediately. If there was a bribe to get a digimon moving, it was food.

There was an automatic squeak, followed by some thuds and then the little digimon jumped into her arms. She caught her partner, well-practiced, and carried the small but not light digimon down the stairs.

They passed Davis' room on the way; empty, cold, silent, no curses or fight over who got to use the bathroom first. Lost and gone and without word. If Hopmon was particularly still and looked particularly sad, if Jun's hands around her partner tightened, then neither mentioned it. Perhaps they didn't even notice. Not anymore.

"Good morning, sweetie," her mother greeted, just putting the last dishes for breakfast on the table. "Newspaper later, dear. It's family time now."

"Jun," her father pushed the paper over to her, frowning. "Do you know something about this?"

The headline read: Internet overload - Fighting in the world wide web? Spokesmen of the government refuse to comment. With a really horrible feeling in her stomach, Jun scanned the front page article. It dredged up the two incidents with Diarbormon, not in the way Jun knew them to have happened, and went on to speculate what it meant. That there was _fighting in the net_ again. Fighting in the net. And _not speculated_.

With effort, Jun tore her eyes away from the article. "I haven't got any idea," she told her parents. Hoping her feelings didn't show on her face, Jun fought to make her expression something less than shocked, irritated and panicking. Given the odd looks her parents gave her, she wasn't sure she succeeded.

In the _net?_

Jun had no idea when she had gotten so much self-control that she could just lower her eyes and start eating instead of bolting up the stairs and checking her D-terminal and trying the gate and-

Her thoughts fell over themselves, trying to make sense.

"You can talk to us if you need to. You know that, right Jun?" Her mother said, looking worried and sad. Davis was gone and they hadn't had any idea it could be a possibility that he might be out overnight like he had before. He hadn't come home and Jun had found an avalanche of mails in her account (not that she had told her parents about the latter). They knew Jun was involved. They just didn't know how much. And because Jun didn't want to worry them, didn't want to fight them too to let her do what someone had to, she didn't tell them.

_If they ever find out, I_'_m grounded for life._

"I really don't know anything," Jun repeated. If she set her bowl down with more force than necessary, then hopefully her parents would think it was because she was frustrated and annoyed. Not because she really, really should know what this was about. "But don't worry about it. It's Davis. He can take care of himself and besides, he isn't alone." How many times had she said something along those lines already?

Her mother still looked worried. It had become a permanent look on her and was only getting worse with every day. Her father was different from that. He was proud of Davis and believed there was nothing Davis couldn't do - problem was with every day Davis didn't return, in other words, didn't solve the mess, he too became more concerned, re estimating the danger to be more than he thought, because Davis wasn't back yet.

_If they ever find out, I'm done for._ Like the mountain of information. Like the knowledge that Davis and the rest of the first and second generation DigiDestined were outnumbered a hundred thousand to one, _if they were lucky_.

Jun was ready to bet her father was still miles off from hitting anywhere close to the real amount of danger her brother faced.

Conversation at breakfast had become one pattern weeks ago and was quickly dying down now that said one pattern was over and done with . Jun held eye-contact with her chopsticks instead of her parents and finished her meal in silence. "Thank you for the food."

Carrying Hopmon back up to her room, Jun had to fight the impulse to dash the way. Closing the door behind her, she took a deep breath. Then she promptly dropped her partner, ignoring the resulting indignant squawks, scrambled for her computer and D-terminal. One was taking its sweet time to get properly running, the other was ready to spit out a over a dozen mails at her prompting that had apparently arrived overnight. Or rather within the last two hours, according to the date.

Her belly flipped and nervous tremors made the terminal shake in her hands. The first mail was an alert. The second more precise information. The third same as the second, along with beginning of an estimation. Jun didn't have time to really read them, just scanning through the first three and getting a picture that made her stomach drop to her feet.

Jun exhaled, skipped to the last mail, just checked that it wasn't an emergency call, (which would have been bad. If it had been, and Jun had been sleeping and not hearing it - she had to do something about that) and closed her terminal. That was for later.

Tentatively, she eyed her computer. What would it say? Was there a chance...? She pointed her digivice at it. "Gate open!" Jun held her breath. The program built. The status signal was red, red, stayed red-

Light flashed, something shooting out of the screen. Jun would have screamed if it hadn't gotten stuck in her throat. The gate status was still closed.

Jun lowered her hand. Disappointment welled up in her, making her eyes sting. _No_, she told herself. _No!_

There is nothing to be done. Nothing changing. She was not going to allow a crack in her armor. Not just because she had been stupid enough to let her hopes get up. It was only when she put her digivice down to dress for school that she noticed it. She stared, picked the little device back up. And stared some more.

It was different. Definitely different. The color theme had changed to half blue, half her partner's color. It was bigger. Where the antenna had been, a smooth reddish square was glinting in the light of the morning sun. A strange symbol was fading from the screen as Jun watched.

_What the hell -?_

Jun had no idea how long she just stared at the little thing before her brain kicked back into gear. Looked like she was going to be later for school today. She carefully put the device into an adapter, where it oddly enough fit, used the scanner and formulated a mail to one of the technological geeks Izzy was working with and who now (more or less) answered to her.

A digivice. Her digivice, _changed._ Why, how, what? Her digivice, the medium that let her be a chosen child, changed. The more Jun thought about it, the more that fact loomed over her like a tidal wave, just waiting to break. That _didn't just happen_. Unless it was an updated model and everyone's were changing...?

"Hopmon, do you know what this means?" She held her partner the changed device under their nose.

The digimon eyed it and sniffed. "It smells funny." Big, round eyes looked at her. "Like great, big water and fishies!"

Jun felt her eyebrows climb. "Um, okay... So you have got no idea?"

In training digimon had the attention span of a fly when it wasn't about food or any fighting. Hopmon stole the digivice from her hand by biting down on it and started hopping through her room, giggling. Expecting a chase. Jun ignored her partner with practiced ease and changed her clothes, feeling like the day ought to be over instead of beginning.

Her mother called up to remind her of the time.

Jun muttered a curse under her breath.

Today was not going to be her day. She could already tell. A glance to the clock revealed her to be already half an hour late. Shoving the stuff she needed for school carelessly into her bag, she hesitated on her D-terminal a moment, before just putting it into a pocket of her jacket.

"Let's go, Hopmon."

Her partner's lively squirreling stopped and her Digivice was dropped in front of her like from a well-trained dog. Hopmon wasn't happy. The goggles that Hopmon would not let her leave the house without around her neck swung forward as she leaned down to pick the device up and let her partner find a comfortable place either on her head or in her bag.

Leaving, she shouted her good bye into the house. As the door slammed shut behind her, Jun was already out on the street.

It was cold enough for her breath to puff in the air, the sky was clear and the ground was dry. A few days ago, it had snowed and Jun hadn't been able to use her shortcuts without slipping left and right off the wall. It hadn't been fun, but Jun was lately not in a position to be able to afford skipping out on cutting her way. She had _no_ time!

Today Jun was already late enough that taking the normal way wouldn't make it much worse. She took her time too, needing it to read all the mails she had gotten over night. Hopmon shifted on her head. "I wanna read too!"

Jun took Hopmon down from her head, settled her partner into her arms and together they read through the mails. The distant part of her mind that was not feeling particularly doomed and horrified wondered just how much Hopmon actually understood from what was written in those.

The newspaper article had implied fighting in the net. Apparently that was a great understatement. Very great. Even now live feed was running in the deepest and most obscure parts of the network, showing from many different angles a _hourglass shaped_ black form, lots and lots and _lots_ of dark digimon, internal parts of said hourglass which went from empty corridors to digimon doing as of yet unidentified _somethings_, several international agencies doing their best to prevent said live feed to reach the easily accessible parts of the net (in other words the public), and the overall message that apparently said the fortress was trying to enter the real world.

_Okay_, Jun thought, her hands trembling._ Okay_. She forced a deep breath out. _No need to panic. Nothing has happened yet. The world isn't ending. Everything is still fine. Everything might stay fine. Just because the fortress that Davis and the others basically labeled as Big Bad Evil and that they'd obviously be fighting when stranded in the digital world doesn't mean that something has happened to him. The digital world is a big place. Everything fine. Davis is fine._

Jun felt hysteric and angry and hopeless. She just wanted to smash the D-terminal against the wall and pretend she hadn't gotten those mails, pretend that nothing was wrong, that dealing with the fortress that was the beginning of this entire mess was _not on her shoulders_. She felt like sitting down and crying.

-better to be angry. Anger was constructive. Anger she could use. _No use in crying!_

"Jun?" Hopmon asked, looking up at her with big eyes. "Are you upset?"

She hugged Hopmon like a silver lining. "I don't want this. Why me? Why can't it be anyone else? I don't - why me?"

"Because Jun is the best," Hopmon sounded convinced and like it was the most obvious thing in the universe. "Because Jun can do what she wants."

Jun could not. She wanted to stomp on her D-terminal and throw all the responsibility away. She didn't. And if she did, someone else would have to and Jun didn't want to be a coward.

Hopmon believed in her. Hopmon was there for her. Hopmon...probably didn't even understand how bad things really were, but it didn't matter. Because Hopmon believed Jun could do anything. A campaign, building a defense, lazing about was all the same to her partner.

Jun didn't want to - but...

That didn't mean she _couldn't_ do it. It'd be reasonable to think she couldn't. What eighteen year old could? All Jun saw was this giant mountain of responsibility and things that had to be done and that would have to be done and she couldn't even see how high it was and she was supposed to climb it?

She could do that. One step at a time. If anyone told her she couldn't, she'd get angry.

Jun got angry. What the hell were they thinking, dropping this mess on_ her_ feet. Could those aspiring to world domination or whatever do that when it didn't involve her? Jun had more than enough to do, thank you very much!

Stomping, Jun reached the school and by the time she stood outside her classroom, she was taking deep breaths to calm her temper.

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><p>Jun was sent to stand outside till the teacher called her in and she used the time to circle messages and instructions around, things like making in mandatory to train, to remind everyone to keep their mouths shut, to organize the chosen children into groups, to tell them that she wanted to have one person out of one of those groups speak for them and if they didn't pick one themselves, she'd pick one by coincidence, exchange a number of notes and ideas and suggestions with other DigiDestined spread around the world who were vaguely in a similar situation to her and open a new forum for people to sign in if their digivices had or still were changing.<p>

If the teacher caught her doing something other than reflecting on how horrible it was to be late, Jun would be in trouble. _But it's not like I can just waste time doing nothing! _

Keeping her ears sharp, Jun heard steps coming and was just quick enough to stuff her D-terminal back into her pocket without the teacher catching her. Jun gave her absolutely best innocent face as she was waved into the room.

Jun was graduating soon and ought to study hard for it, but really, she didn't even have time for that. A morbid voice in her head whispered that, duh, ensuring that she _had_ a future was more important than studying for one. Putting up a book in front of her face, Jun went back to tackle the mountain she still had to do.

"You were pretty late today," Kenji commented off hand, once the first lesson was over.

Jun didn't look up from her D-terminal. "Well yeah. Things kind of happened that need my attention."

"Huh," said her friend. "Things like this?" He shoved something under her nose. At first Jun tried to glance past it to finish the mail, then she resisted what she actually saw.

A brown digivice. A form that was identical to Jun's. To Jun's_ now_. The response she got from the network said that no one else had had a different digivice.

There was one right before her eyes. Jun all but tore it from Kenji's hands, ignoring his mutterings and inspected it. The color theme was a light brown as opposed to Jun's blue.

This did not make any sense at all. "Where did you get this?"

Kenji shrugged. "Good things come to people who wait. That is, um, I just walked past an electronics store on the way to school and one of them spit light out and did that to my digivice."

For a long moment, Jun just stared between him and his device, before digging out her own.

Kenji stared. "Yours too?"

"I don't know how many more," Jun told him quietly, ever aware of the ears that would all too much like overhearing something juicy. "But I've already asked for a second opinion. I've got no idea what this means."

Taking back his Digivice, Kenji nodded. "A mystery is a labyrinth for the adventurous. I'm not feeling very adventurous, though. I'd rather know why my Digivice changed."

Jun made a noise of agreement and before they could exchange more words, the next lesson began.

Spread out through the day, Jun received many more messages. As it stood, Jun was absolutely lucky, that the mess with the fortress appearing in the net had only started two hours before she had woken up. Things were only now starting to kick into gear with time moving forward and those that had been sleeping through the first wave, like her, were waking up now and adding to it. Around the globe, the, for lack of better term, higher ranked DigiDestined caught on to what was happening and joined the discussions. The nearest DigiDestined in that limited forum was located somewhere in China.

As of tonight, though, it meant putting her D-terminal's volume high and waking up every other hour to check the latest development. _It's going to be hell. _

By the end of school, Jun had no idea what her lessons had been about and her head swum with things she still had to do today, still had to think about, and what kind of training they had to do today. Apparently there had been a few instances of a battle of some kind caught on feed and going by that...well, positive thinking...

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><p>Jun stood in front of a lot of people. Definitely more than before. Putting her hands on her hips, she began, "People, we've got a problem coming in. If you've kept up on your D-terminal, then you'll know it's pretty bad. Therefore, let's not rest easy and assume it's going to get a lot worse before it get better. So! Worst case - we are going to be on our own and the real world really does rely on us. And I mean us. Not as proxy, not as place holder but on those of us who are here and on us alone."<p>

There were some uneasy mutterings, people shifted and eyed her warily. Jun knew how they felt. "Today's practice is going to be a bit different because of it. We are going to play a game. It's called tag. We are going to split into two teams. The first one, the bigger one with all those of In-training and below, with a few Rookies mixed in are the hunters. They will have to catch the others and do that by subduing their digimon partner. The playground is all of Odaiba. The hunted get a head start. The hunters can use the time to put up some strategies. All those that have been caught will have to be returned here. If the hunters don't manage to catch everyone before nine, it's their loss. If they manage, it's their victory." Jun smiled, trying for a very evil version of it. "Since I don't think you are all going to stay motivated unless there is something at stake, there's going to be a punishment for the losing side!

The crowd shifted again, some uneasy, others unimpressed. "I haven't thought about what yet, but believe me, I'm not going to go easy. Whoever losses is going to wish they hadn't. Scheduling a swimming lesson in a garbage heap sounds like a good idea so far, but I don't want to let you off easy, so -" She grinned.

Norkio looked caught between disgust and horror. Kenji had an expression on his face that spoke of untold suffering.

Jun looked over the assembled people. Not even half she knew by name. "Questions?"

A hand raised somewhere near the back.

"Yes?"

"It's got nothing to do with the exercise, but-"

"What group are you? Hunters or hunted?" Jun interrupted.

"My Koromon can't evolve more -"

"Hunters then. Do any of the hunted have questions?" No one raised their arms or voice. Jun clapped her hands. "What are you waiting for then? Off you go! You've got fifteen minutes before the hunters come after you!"

The people dispersed, muttering and incredibly slow, as if they weren't sure what they were supposed to do, some throwing glances back at Jun. To prove her point, Jun tapped her foot impatiently. "The time is running," she called at them. "You are supposed to be running too. You are aware that besides having partners that can evolve higher, you are at a serious disadvantage? Digivices can seek out other digvices, you know."

Ah, it seemed not many had thought of that. The few dozen moved a bit faster. When they were almost all gone, Jun turned back to those remaining. "Now those of you that have questions that have nothing to do with the game can come to me and ask. The others get to planning. You got to beat Rookies, the occasional Champion and bring them back here!" Jun clapped her hands again, feeling like a preschool teacher where the kids didn't want to listen much.

It wasn't a nice feeling.

The one boy who had spoken out earlier approached her, looking somewhat hesitant and Jun did her best to look friendly, smiling at him. And his friend. The two boys seemed to be maybe five or six years younger than her. (Still children, still so young - they shouldn't have to be here; Jun forced the thought aside, reminding herself that her brother had been younger.)

"So, what can I help you with?" She smiled extra nice.

The boy with a Koromon in his arms jabbed his companion in the side, who, Jun noted didn't have a digimon anywhere in sight. The second boy glared at the first, but held something out for her to look at.

Jun stared.

_You have got to be kidding me_.

It was a digivice. A bit bulkier than Jun's, but the design was very clearly based off each other. It had the same (as Jun had been told) data scanner in the upper right side, had a grip colored in a darker brown than the rest of it, several buttons and a screen that was a bit larger than even Jun's. Just for confirmation, Jun took out hers to compare. Yes, they definitely looked way too similar for it to be a coincidence.

"Where did you get this?" Jun asked the boy, who was chewing at his lip.

"It shot out of my computer today. Is it a digivice?" He looked anxious and hopeful, eyes darting to his friend.

Jun sighed. "What's your name?"

"Shinya Kanbara," the boy said. "My friend is Takumi."

Jun forced another smile. "My name is Jun Motomia. Is the digivice all that came out of your screen?"

The boy nodded, shifting on his feet. He looked very lost when he asked, "If this is a digivice, why don't I have a partner?"

"I'm sure you noticed," Jun told him kindly, "That it's a different model from Takumi. Digivices, you see, have purposes and can do different things. Yours and mine too are new models. We don't know yet what they can do that the other models can't. I can't tell you why a partner digimon didn't come along with it," though she had a few ideas, none of which she should voice, "But one thing is for sure." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Welcome to the Digi-Destined."

A smile spread on the boy's face, if still a bit unsure and confused, but definitely happy. Jun took out her D-terminal and made a number of pictures with it from the other new device, then send the two boys off to mingle with the many people still left and planning, encouraging them to do their best.

Off at the side, Hopmon bobbled up and down with many other digimon, playing with them. Jun darted a glance at her partner, then borrowed Noriko's laptop and went to work. The game was going to last till nine, latest, and that meant she had about four hours yet to get somewhere. First order of business was sending off the pictures and reporting the digivice without digimon to the techno geeks...

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><p>This is the beta-ed version. Many thanks to smfan!<p>

This is the chapter for April, a continuation of # 41, chapter 40. This is not the directly following day, though. Some time has past already.

Is someone else totally disappointed with the as-of-yet-not-aired continuation of 01? I was really looking forward to that this month and nothing came...*sigh*

Do you have suggestions? Critique? Likes? Dislikes? Complains? Or things you just plain noticed?

TBC...


	49. Digital World: Countdown to Twilight

Chapter 48: Digital World: Countdown to Twilight

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><p><em>Sent: minutes ago<em>

To everyone,

Somehow, me, Mimi, has managed to get teleported though I have no idea how, except that it possibly has something to do with that stupid cube, right into the middle of that Fortress, I think. Since I didn't see it from the outside, and found Kari and Tailmon and I'm not really sure how many of those kids that we are supposed to get out of there, except that Zoe tells me all.

I'm doing fine, so is Zoe, and the rest could be lots better...

Help? Like, where should we go? Is someone near?

From mainly Mimi, with Kari and Tailmon, Zoe and Koji and JP is also here

Ps: I'm told to tell Izzy that writing profiles on them was a good idea.

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><p>The sensation was not unlike breaking the surface of water, yet at the same time drastically different. The matter around him was thick, feeling tough like a rope against his skin even though it caused him no resistance. In the first place, it was odd that he only noticed the feeling once he was breaking out of it.<p>

A smooth silvery surface surrendered him to a wide world, a dark sky hanging over him, moon and stars bright in the sky. Yutaka had just time to realize that he had seen neither in so long that it seemed alien to him before a wave of nausea hit him, making the world spin and the ground be suddenly against his cheek. Something changed and...ah, he was really Yutaka again, free of metal and something that wasn't him giving him a different form that he could move.

Cool air blew against him, a storm of sensations he had never experienced in the never ending, monotone days of his slavery. His hairs stood on end, gut wrenching fear and terror creeping up in him as he realized what he had done.

That he _lived._

That he lived to see the consequences of his actions, that he could still get punished-

Rolling over, acid bubbled up from his stomach and spilled past his lips.

_What had he_ done?

Terror made him tremble, the urge to crawl back and hope for mercy sat in his bones, tears of too many emotions he didn't even notice. But even panting for breath, a grin stole over his lips, because he had triumphed. He had won. He paid them back. And it had felt good.

* * *

><p><em>Sent: minutes ago<em>

To Mimi,

Great job! Who cares about how you did it? You did it!

From Tai

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><p><em>Sent: seconds ago<em>

To everyone,

We got contact with Gennai, and he said it be best to gather back at the castle, too. Since we already decided on that a few days ago, we should be close by there now and is someone within reach of Mimi?

From Tai, Agumon, Matt, Gabumon, Yolei and Hawkmon

Ps: Has someone heard from Joe?

* * *

><p>"I trust I don't have to make myself clear?"<p>

"Of course, Your Majesty."

Murmuxmon backed away, bowing all the while. Only once he had left the throne room behind did he allow the sneer he had been suppressing to twist his face around his teeth. How laughable. What authority did His Majesty – no not that, not anymore. What authority did Bagramon still think he had to order Murmuxmon around?

Nothing. Of the Demon Lord digimon's once great power were only fragments left, certainly nothing of the kind that enabled, made him _worthy_ to lead the countless digimon at his beck and call. The all seeing eyes had been destroyed, and no matter how much the dark digimon claimed the wound was only superficial, no matter how much the majority believed it, Murmuxmon wasn't fooled. That eye was done for.

Murmuxmon relished in the thought. As of now, operating behind the faux ruler was more than possible. He would do it too, set things in motion, manipulate a few more dimwitted digimon who still had some fire power...

Sadly, however, Bagramon was still too powerful for Murmuxmon to take on in a straight fight and win. Even if he did, afterwards he would be in a position to hold the throne against fellow usurpers. No, that would have to wait.

So for now, Murmuxmon would follow orders, remain and hunt.

Operation Nobel Revival was strangled in its end phase and would still need time to be completed, even more so given that they were already jumping dimensions.

One of their greatest weapons, the Point System, was not only no longer usable, according to the Datamon, it had been taken over by the little brats.

...maybe, before he put the Elementals back into their cages of then-his fortress, had taken everything from them that he wanted, he would thank them for the humiliation and the damage they put Bagramon through.

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><p>TK threw himself against the ground, hands over his head. Debris rained down on him. Quickly, he rolled, not daring to let the fight get out of his sight for more than he needed to. His digivice was strangled by a tight grip in his hands, but so far he hadn't used it.<p>

Against a single Dark Drimogemon - an evolution TK had never seen before as a Dark – Patamon and Armadimon didn't, strictly speaking need to evolve. The two of them were strong enough without, though an evolution would certainly cut this fight short. TK was toying with the thought, but he wasn't sure if, even at this point, that it might not be too great a risk.

The key question was if the Dark Drimogemon had found them by coincidence or by design. TK moved further down the tunnel, putting some distance between himself and the fight that was currently wrecking the walls and ceiling.

Cody was nowhere to be seen, but TK trusted him to take care of himself. Most likely, the younger boy was beyond one of the multiple holes the mole like digimon had dug into the labyrinth and watching the fight from a different angle.

Despite that they were underground, the Dark Drimogemon didn't have the advantage. The tunnel system gave much space to maneuver without having to break down a wall for Patamon and Armadimon, yet was too narrow for the large digimon to even turn around without having to do just that.

TK thought. _So long as the Drimogemon didn't get backup, it should be fine, though it might take a while since the little digimon had to knock the much bigger one out to end it and they lacked fire power. Maybe -_

The wall behind him exploded and TK was thrown forwards, rocks and stones hitting him in the back. He scrapped over the hard stone floor, feeling his skin burn. His head shook and ears were ringing, but TK didn't stop to notice either, scrambling up and out of the way of a rolling, large, fur covered body. The new digimon screeched. It was another Dark Drimogemon. TK pressed himself against a wall to let the digimon, which apparently had either not seen him or didn't think him worthy of notice, pass him.

TK watched, holding his breath as the new digimon joined the fight, only exhaling when it became clear that the danger to his Partner didn't get that much worse. The two Drimogemon seemed to hit each other more in their attempts to hit the smaller digimon. Taking the chance, TK doubled back and climbed through the hole.

"Cody?" He called, pitching his voice low in hopes that it would travel in spite of the destructive and loud fight going on all but literally just around the corner. Cody didn't answer.

It took some time to find his younger friend in the crisscrossing and broken corridors around the fight, stumbling over Koichi on the way. The dark haired teen had not moved an inch from where the two of them had left him, trusting exactly that he wouldn't move while the fight was maneuvered away from him. It still made TK uneasy that he was so incredibly unresponsive, his empty eyes, like a puppet, but there was nothing they could do about it and TK counted their blessings that Koichi was capable of walking by himself and safe, for a relative value of the term.

Eventually, TK found Cody observing the battle in a similar manner to how he himself had done it. He crouched down next to him, taking stock of what had changed in the battle before speaking what was on his mind. "We should run. We've got nothing to win by fighting here. Before more Digimon arrive."

Cody nodded, eyes on the battle where a Dark Drimogemon's drill missed Patamon and hit the other Dark Drimogemon instead. A wail of pain echoed along the walls. They both winched. "But what way are we supposed to go? We don't know where the exit is and if we end up in a dead end..."

"How about we use those?" TK pointed at one of the clearer holes in the walls where they could look at holey beyond and beyond, going straight as far as they could see in the moss lighting the darkness. "The Dark Drimogemon must have come from somewhere."

Cody frowned in reluctance. "But what if we end up with more enemies?"

TK nodded, conceding the point, though..."It's a risk, but on the other hand, it may be our fastest way out of here and I don't think there is something like a nest of Drimogemon there, because otherwise I think there would have been more of them there already."

Cody frowned deeper, thinking hard. "We also can't dodge in the tunnel if they are after us. We'd have to evolve Armadimon and Patamon and then they'd know for sure where we are. It's also dark in there." He paused. "We can take some moss, but it's not much and the digimon would have to fly blind."

But TK was already shaking his head. "If we can distract the DarkDrimogemon for a few moments, it'll give us enough time to run. And in a place like this, with so many possible escape routes, they'll have to find us again first."

Cody considered, then nodded decidedly. "One of us should go ahead with Koichi." Since he didn't seem responsive enough for running and there wasn't a reason to risk it, Cody didn't have to say. They both knew it. "I'll go."

"No, I will," TK interrupted. "Armadimon is an earth type. For the worst case, you shouldn't separate from him."

Worst case. They always had to think of the worst case. In this, the worst case was that their plan failed, they'd be separated and have to fight on their own. With Armadimon, who could become Digmon, Cody would be far more mobile than if TK was with Patamon. Sure, Pegasusmon and Angemon could also break down walls, if that was all it took, but they couldn't dig through solid earth. If TK and Koichi were in tunnel that the Drimogemon had created, out of this labyrinth with solid, built walls, with the path collapsed behind them, Digmon could ensue that they meet again. Situation reversed, Angemon or Pegasusmon could do nothing of the sort.

In the worst case, using Evolution was no question.

TK waited to make sure both DarkDrimogemon had their attention elsewhere before dashing through one hole, out of sight, picking up Kiochi by taking him by the arm, taking some of the glowing moss, and then making his way over to the way through the walls that one of the Drimogemon had created on its way to get them. He made sure Cody knew exactly which way he took then held up his hand, all fingers outstretched as a sign for the time.

As TK lead Koichi through the path, he noticed for the first time that it was entirely straight. No, that wasn't right. What he noticed was what it meant that the way was entirely straight.

_It's like they knew exactly where to find us._

Maybe they did, and if they did, then leaving now was the best decision they could make. Before more digimon found them the same way. The digivice he had to put in his pocket felt heavy and disturbing. As soon as they could TK would turn his off, so that it hopefully would no longer be tracked.

On the other hand, that meant there had been no reason not to use evolution in the fight since there was no cover left to be blown. Good to know.

TK counted the seconds. _150...151...152..._The path of holes through walls led skipped a floor higher, the Dark Drimogemon having drilled its way down from the floor above, but luckily there was enough debris piled up to reach the ceiling with his hands and pull himself up with some trouble. Getting Koichi up after him was the real challenge, one that he didn't manage before his vague mental count hit the three hundred.

Five minutes. TK waited for a sound indicating a distraction. He got it in a form of what sounded like thunder echoing to him, but was probably only a ceiling or wall falling. That's how TK would have made his get away. He hesitated, glancing in the direction his chosen path continued, then considered the height he had climbed and resolved to wait here for Cody instead of going ahead further.

Cody was smaller than him and with help, he'd get up here faster and when running, that was important.

It didn't take long for Cody to arrive and TK first took Armadimon from him, then helped pull the younger boy up. Patamon placed himself on TK's head, breathing hard.

The two humans took off in as fast a pace as they could set, being exhausted and having little energy to spend after days and days of walking and little to no food, dragging the dark haired teen, who was still utterly unresponsive, along with them.

TK didn't time anymore, but it felt like hours until they reached the end of the labyrinth, where the last hole didn't reveal a different corridor but a dark path, dug straight into the earth. Cody picked up some moss from the walls here, TK replaced his batch with something free and they headed into the darkness. Behind them, they made sure to collapse the entrance in hopes of further lowering the chance of getting followed. So far, it had been difficult to tell if the Drimgogemon were following, the noise they made echoing and making it difficult to judge the distance.

TK also told Cody about turning off the Digivices.

"Hopefully it is them they follow and not..." TK looked at Koichi.

The dark haired teen was almost invisible in the sparsely lit darkness. His eyes were black, his hair was black, his clothes were dark, his skin seemed a dull gray more than the pale sickly color it had looked like in the green lit labyrinth.

According to the messages, Sora had had problems with being followed, even though she didn't use her digivice and she was with Takuya. If the Drimogemon were honing in on him, they would find them again. But then, it wouldn't matter if they evolved or not anyway and if they could, they'd get away.

Cody put his digivice away and sighed. "How long do you think this way is?"

The dark tunnel stretched in front of them farther than they could see, not the faintest bit of daylight or the like in the distance.

"That depends on how steep they dug," TK voiced, tired. "And on how deep below ground we are." The way seemed to be long in any case. They'd be walking for a while. And could only hope that where they surfaced, if they did at all, they'd find no enemies and something to drink and preferably some water.

* * *

><p>Zoe kicked Koji in the back.<p>

The teen grunted and shot her an annoyed glare over his shoulder. "What?"

"Would it kill you to be a bit more friendly?" She demanded, keeping her voice low as to not be overheard. Making a camp was nice and all, and very useful and necessary and JP was nice and social as usual and had walked off with the two girls to gather firewood and edibles from...somewhere on this grassland plain, but Tailmon was still around and one never knew how far voices carried. There was no need whatsoever for attention of the friendly or unfriendly kind. "They did kind of risk their lives and kind of saved ours."

Zoe's task was to gather stones for the fire pit, and she'd get around to it, but not before she spoke a few words with the resident moody boy whose making more of an jerk of himself than Zoe ever remembered him being, even in the very beginning.

"_Kind of_." Koji repeated rolling his eyes, stressing wordlessly that Zoe's argument was a contradiction in itself.

The blond kicked him again. Staring at him in a way that hopefully communicated wordlessly that, yes, it might only be 'kind of', but it was also not 'not' and also, that they were stuck with them and _were going to work together_ with them for the foreseeable future, she crossed her arms.

Koji rolled his eyes at her again, but didn't offer anything more, which was just _wrong_. With capital letters. Mentally, Zoe reconsidered his current mood from 'obstinate to strangers' to 'obstinate to not be pulled out of his own head'. Which had implied distraction of a kind that could not be resolved by working hard in the here and now, like for example pressing for more speed. Getting annoyed at any hold up and, come to think of it, he _had_ been unusually tolerant of Mimi's complaining and nonstop chatter.

Chances were...

"Okay, what is it?" She demanded, crouching down next to him where he dug a little pool in the ground to set the fire in. "I can't read your mind by the twitch of an eyebrow, since I'm not Takuya and don't have twin telepathy...going on? Ah." There was a very telling twitching of muscles into tension before getting forcefully relaxed. Zoe would have missed it if she hadn't been watching for a telltale of what her friend was thinking.

The question now was: Takuya or Koichi?

Given what she knew, and had been updated to..."Koichi?"

Koji for all that he was stand offish, rude and seemed like nothing could shake him, that wasn't actually so. He was only very practiced at keeping people at distance and keeping a wall up around him so that he couldn't get hurt, a result of his father having long hours at work and never having friends for more than a few months due to his family moving around, Zoe knew. Koji was just practiced and defensive. He was not naturally good at lying or hiding what he felt, having a temper as well. No, it was Koichi who could lie to anyone's face without giving the slightest bit away. Though he would feel incredibly guilty for it, he who was difficult to be read if not difficult to understand.

Definitely a bullseye. This time Koji was more prepared for a mention, but the hardening of his eyes was very speaking. So. Something concerning Koichi distracted Koji.

Zoe had heard that Koji was with a pair of friends of Mimi and Kari's, but that something seemed off about him. Having read the messages herself, she had also read Takuya's advice. Test: Duskmon or no Duskmon.

Zoe didn't have any details at all or even just a vague picture of his situation or what was wrong with him, but chances were: Duskmon. It was always Duskmon, the annoying thing.

And the twins being the twins, the past being the past and Duskmon being Duskmon...okay, so Zoe could see why Koji was distracted.

_Can't even propose going to look for them since we don't know where they are.._.

"Koji, do you trust your brother?"

He stared at her, like he couldn't believe she asked that.

Zoe nodded as if Koji had given a long monologue of an answer, since in a way he did. "But you don't trust him to take care of himself. Not that I don't understand where you are coming from," She quickly said over Koji's protest. "But he is also your twin. If he needs saving from what we both suspect, then Y_ou. Are. Going. To. Do. That_." Zoe leaned closer in his face with every word. "_There is no if._ There is only the eventual result that you are going to have your twin to be overprotective with, that he will humor you in that like he always does. Nothing will change that. _Nothing_. And you don't need _me_ to tell _you_ that." She leaned back, inspecting the impact her words had. There was something different in his eyes, she thought.

Since she wasn't Takuya or Koichi she couldn't tell more, but there was _something_. Zoe rather thought she did well to hit Koji out of his narrowed, fixated, hard and brooding mindset that he tended to fall in when something was going on with Koichi that he didn't approve off.

Right now, she didn't feel right to tease him about it.

She squeezed the hand of the resident twin, then set off to gather stones, her own thoughts wandering. Koichi had such bad luck with his element, it was unbelievable. It was a perfect match, of course, since otherwise he wouldn't be stuck with it, but still...In the digital world some dark digimon on the other side of the globe gained a bit more evil than it should and would you look at that, Koichi had Duskmon looming in his shadow like a bad joke. There were evil hearts around him: Duskmon. Someone wanted to get a good hit in against the Legendary Warriors via unbalancing the easily unbalanced Warrior of Darkness: Duskmon.

Duskmon, Duskmon, Duskmon.

It was a bit like a cockroach, Zoe thought, except for the part where Duskmon was still Koichi and was still their Darkness and thus her comrade, for an extended value of the term. Zoe wasn't friends with cockroaches. Maybe a parasite, then.

The thing was, the twins were dependant on each other, though Koji far less obviously so than Koichi. Like yin and yang. One half was no good without the other. There were _consequences_ when something upset that dependency, though that wasn't easy with Light being _Koji_. For Koichi, those consequences were also always, unsurprisingly Duskmon.

Duskmon, Duskmon, Duskmon.

Koji, for his part needed the stabilizing presence of his brother to be himself. In a way, exactly like Koichi, the exact inverse in that the silent boy had the loud consequences and the temperamental boy the subtle ones.

In short, Duskmon was bad. A bad sign, but nothing that could not be taken care of and more annoying in the fact that it needed to get taken care of again and again and _again_. Usually, though, things only ever got to the stage where they noticed that Duskmon _only started to build_, not that Koichi would actually take the form during evolution.

If it was different this time with everything that had happened...

Seriously, what was Takuya thinking saying 'oh, hey, if Koichi evolves to a skull human with lots of eyeballs it's bad'?

...then again, there was not anything anyone of them could do, not being with Koichi or not being able to put Koji with Koichi.

"I've only found these few stones," Zoe presented to the gathered company. "Some of them are lumps of earth, I think. Does that matter?"

The brown haired girl, Kari, hesitated, then shook her head. "I don't know, but why should it so long as it isn't flammable?"

Zoe darted a glance over at the boys. JP shrugged cluelessly and Koji didn't even bother giving her that much. Yeah, Zoe didn't think so.

Funny that. And here Zoe had thought she was an expert on how to survive in the wilderness far from civilization and tools. Quite possibly, she had been spoiled. Well, no time like the present to learn.

Zoe sat down and watched the other two girls at work. "You use the stones so that the fire doesn't escape?"

Kari nodded. She was wearing a borrowed jacket from JP, since her pullover did no longer even have the form of clothing. "Haven't you done this before?"

Helping build the wood into the right form, Zoe shrugged, grinning slightly, because it really was kind of funny. "Well yeah sure, but if you travel with someone who can light a spark with a finger and pat flames out with his bare hands without getting so much as red skin, you don't tend to worry about the fire not doing what you want after the first night." She held a finger in the dust, causing dust to dance around it in invisible streams. "We could light a fire pretty fast. I think we kind of missed out on the basics thanks to that, though."

"Urgh, that's so unfair," Mimi whined. Zoe was completely baffled that this was the same person who had very directly saved her. She whined a lot. "I had to learn how to make fire with stones because Palmon can't spit any."

"Sorry Mimi," the little plant apologized, sounding a strange mix between sorry and not very sorry at all. "But I can tell you what you can eat instead. Don't you think that's important too?"

"Of course it is, Palmon! I'd be completely lost without you. Starved myself to death and how would I ever sleep in a nice bed again if I did that, but still! Not every stone can make fire and why is wood always so stubborn about burning." She dug around in her bag, resurfacing triumphant. "Thank god I packed a lighter for us."

Zoe felt her eyebrows rise. "I thought you didn't know you were going to get stranded in the Digital World. How did you know to pack one?"

Mimi waved her hand her attention already moving on from her vital tool. "I packed survival stuff into every one of my bags since I didn't want to get lost without stuff like that again. Next time, I'm going to put some seasoning along, since just green stuff doesn't taste very nice. What did you guys eat? Do you have a shortcut for that as well?"

"Not really. We have a digimon friend who carried a dictionary around with him and he knew basically everything. To make it taste better we had JP's chocolate in the beginning but it ran out fast."

The teen in question was already raising his hands in defense as several sets of eyes turned on him. "I don't have any. That was years ago." He pulled something out of a pocket. "The most I have is some money."

"I've got some too," Zoe remembered. "Koji too? Since we didn't get to the amusement park before we got dragged here...or was Koichi going to pay for you?" She couldn't resist needling. Big brother, little brother roulette. It was very funny to observe. Especially since the siblings in question didn't see what the rest of them found so funny.

Koji glowered at her. "Money isn't going to do us any good, unless you want to throw it in the flames."

Zoe opened her mouth to shoot something back, only to tilt her head in consideration. "Actually...if it helps." She looked at the other two girls. "Does it? It's not like we are going to need it anymore."

"We are not that desperate," Kari smiled, though it was weak. Tailmon had still not woken up and it showed in her enough that even Zoe, who was still a stranger to this world's chosen system noticed. "You should keep it anyway. Buy yourself happy things when you get home. Something to look forward to."

Very carefully, Zoe did not react at all even as internally, she switched from sincerity to fake. Home, buy herself. It was instinct to not let any change be noticed. Her expression stayed the same, her tone stayed the same, and that was now what she was focusing on instead of the conversation. Like a tag out. Like identical twins switching places. She put the Mask Of Zoe on her face and continued.

Home. Buy herself stuff she wanted. Home.

From the corner of her eyes she saw JP's expression gaining an edge of underlying hardness to it that was usually absent in her kind friend when he wasn't fighting for his life. Resolve, maybe. Acceptance of things that couldn't be changed. He was grounded like that. Zoe envied him for it. It was like his feet never left the ground.

Koji's reaction was far more obvious. His face became wooden, dark as thunder clouds. Out of all of them, he had struggled with his feelings for his family the most - accepting his stepmother, finding out his birth mother was alive, that he had a brother, his feelings for a father who had lied to him, was never there and was the cause he had never had any close friends before them...He finally had resolved it all, only for it to be cut off like this... She would pity him, except such an emotion was worthless and insulting.

Luckily for them, and her, and peace of mind for all, Zoe was keeping the two girls sufficiently engaged that they didn't notice any odd reaction.

Never mind talking, Zoe didn't even want to think about it. What was home for her? Zoe wasn't sure, didn't know, only that it wasn't here. Was the home she thought of as home still her home when she could never return to it?

Zoe compartmentalized and prioritized. Best not think about it. She didn't need to think about it, not in any way to conquer the crisis she found herself in. She could always deal with it later.

To think that even when she left this world behind, when – not if- they won, she would never be able to hug her mother again, never see her again, not even the not-so-close friends from school, that she wouldn't ever be faced with those things that she had condemned when she had lived them, that she could not even tell those that enjoyed it her true opinion, that she would never see her parents again, that-

There lay no things in that direction that she wanted to dwell on. Or talk about. Not talking about them made it easier. Not thinking about it made it simple. Dismissing it was relieving. Best it was to forget it and never mention it.

* * *

><p>This is the <strong>Beta-ed version<strong> of the chapter for May. Thank you very much, smfan!

Cody, TK, Armadimon, Patamon and Koichi's peaceful traveling has reached its end. Zoe throws herself head first into the issues at hand and does some complex avoiding dance at the same time.

Do you have suggestions? Critique? Likes? Dislikes? Complains? Or things you just plain noticed?

TBC...


	50. Digital World: red Nightfall

Chapter 49: Digital World: red Nightfall

* * *

><p>When they finally saw light that wasn't glowing green and originating from plants, TK had lost count of the days and hours it had been since they first got lost. The light - it wasn't even sunlight, just gray cloudy sky above a barren landscape - stung in their eyes and TK had to rapidly blink tears away. Patamon had no such problems and just bounced off his head, flipping through the moist, cool air in elation.<p>

If he didn't feel too weak to waste energy on movement that had no purpose, TK would be tempted to join him - just looking at the sky after so long of not seeing it, trying to adjust back from narrow corridors to the sheer _wideness_ of outside.

But that wasn't happening. As it was, TK could hardly remain upright and he feared that if he lay down, he would not wake for a long time and feel even worse after.

"We need food and water first," TK rasped, his voice rough from hours of not speaking, from dryness and exhaustion.

The pressing problem was where to find either. Rocks and stones around them, some bigger and some smaller, the largest ones almost the size of small hills. The tunnel they had come out of ended in the only flat and relatively rubble free space around, looking well used. It was the kind of place where Drimogemon preferred to live and they had probably come out in the nest. No plants, no water.

From the way TK's belly was clawing at his insides, they'd better not take too much time finding something. Passing out hadn't happened yet, but judging by the way TK felt and how disturbing lightheadedness snuck up on him every few minutes and every time he moved too fast, too carelessly, it wasn't that long off.

Hunger. Real hunger with no food available. TK had never forgotten what it felt like, but time had dulled the memory. TK assumed Cody felt even worse than he did, if only because he didn't have experience with hunger (starving) to back him up, but he didn't say a thing. Cody was like that. He didn't complain and being as introverted and taciturn as he was, never bothered to state the obvious.

"Patamon," TK raised his voice enough to call his partner to attention where he was currently distracted by freedom. "Could you fly up and take a look around so that we know in which direction we have to go?"

Patamon stopped rolling around on the ground with a sullen pout. "But I'm hungry, TK. When will we get something to eat?"

"I don't know," he admitted, "but if you can see plants or water from up there, we'll be much closer."

Patamon brightened. Without much energy but plenty of enthusiasm to make up for it, the little light digimon flapped his wings as he climbed in the air.

A mute groan from the vicinity of the ground had TK look away from his partner and at the digimon still left with them. Armadimon's legs were stretched away from his body and he lay flat on the dark stones. He didn't look so good, lacking even more energy than Patamon, because unlike TK's partner, the armadillo had to walk the entire way on his own legs.

Cody had sat down next to him, dark rings under his red eyes, dirty and face sunken. In good and normal light, the difference between the Cody he had seen in the human world and this one was stark and it made something inside TK heavy with sadness.

Why did this always have to happen? Why? Why did they have to fight? What did fighting ever bring? Only survivors and no victors, taking bits and pieces of everyone involved. They protect things too, but protecting things that shouldn't be at risk in the first place was not something to weight against things that got lost. Sometimes without noticing.

Wasn't there a way to prevent situations like this happening, to stop innocent beings from getting involved, letting only those that wanted to fight fight? How many children were Digidestined by now? How many of them would have to fight without any warning before it was over?

What could the digimon possibly want, that it was worth all this?

Cody glanced up from his D-terminal. "The GPS works again. It shows we are near a place called the Rusty Plains." A slight frown pulled his eyebrows together. "Northern Hemisphere. Near the eastern end of the W Mountains. I have nave been here before."

TK thought about it, digging through memories. As a child, he hadn't been very attentive - most memories of his first adventure weren't very clear, except for standing impressions (_hunger, thirst, darkness, loneliness, fear, warmth, everyone -_) "Me neither."

Cody nodded and went back to studying the map.

The W Mountains were one of the many mountain ranges in the digital world and like most things, weren't as bound by laws of physics and logic as one would like. In the real world, mountains grew when earth plates pushed against one another or with the help of similar natural forces. In the digital world, things were build from data. Data fed from the human world, taken apart, put back together and flipped upside down for good measure, took appearances that were in the end based on something real but didn't have to share much with it. Case in point, the W Mountains, named such because on a map they formed a w. Izzy had once theorized that they were based on the constellation they could find in the sky at home rather than just the plain letter of the alphabet. In a weird way, it would make sense.

Like all of them, TK had learned the most basic geography of the digital world. He knew that some had done it on accident in those year where they were cut off from their partners as they tried to reconstruct all the ways they had traveled. Some in nostalgia, some as reminders, and others on purpose. For TK it had been a slippery slope from one to the next. When the Second Generation had become active, he had not wanted to chance getting lost horribly and did his memorizing even though they did have D-terminals at that point. At this point, TK probably knew the geography of the digital world better than of home.

It let him know without looking at a map that they had a long, long way to travel before they made it to Vamdemon's castle. Especially on foot.

Suppressing a sigh, he watched Patamon descend from the sky, gliding elegantly in the winds.

Something flickered in the corner of his eye and Patamon was hit out of the sky. A strangled sounding squeak reached down to TK where he was staring at the place Patamon was suddenly no longer at.

The screech of a digimon rang through the air, resounding from the mountains and joined by many others. It didn't even register in TK's mind as he shouted for Patamon and ran in the direction he must have landed. The many rocks and stones piled up and gave much room for someone as small as Patamon to disappear from sight in. Panic crawling up his throat, choking with fear, TK tried not to think. Where was he? Was he hurt? _Please don't let him be hurt! _

Worry for Patamon blew everything straight out of his mind and maybe that was one reason why everything went horrible wrong. TK didn't care to check for danger that was there but was not yet visible, forgot how run down Cody and Armadimon were, that Koichi wouldn't move without incentive and that if he only thought about it a little would realize that any place a Drimogemon dug tunnel would surface was more likely than not close to where more Drimogemon lived.

Only when the ground shook with a first solid attack did TK remember that a world existed outside of looking for Patamon and when he looked up and back from the rock he was trying to climb over, many, many digimon emerged from the natural cover. Two DarkDrimogemon, several DarkGiromon and -TK swallowed - DarkMetallGraymon.

The sight was another shock. For a moment, TK could do nothing but stare. Then the horror grew with realization and new wave of fear. In a tiny piece of his mind that was born from fighting and surviving and desperation, estimations ran - what it would need to defeat this or to out run this - and they spat out HolyAngemon. Making TK panic all over again, because he _still hadn't found his partner and oh, what if- _

"Run!" He shouted over the space separating him from his friends (when had that happened?), Cody and Armadimon looking frozen as they stared at what the boulder riddled landscape had revealed to them.

Freezing up. It didn't happen very often anymore.

A Drimogemon was close to them, very close, having just crawled out of a hole and in a distant part of his mind, TK realized that that must have been the noise that had drawn his attention.

Cody scrambled up, and backwards, Armadimon crouching on the ground to defend or attack, but, with a sinking stomach, TK understood that it really didn't matter. They were weak, all of them, starved and tired and evolving cost energy their digimon partners didn't really have anymore.

It wasn't going to work like this. Nothing was going to work like this!

But then, the Drimogemon didn't attack. Silence and no movement. In fact, none of the dark digimon seemed to want to. They had only eyes for one thing. Person. Koichi.

TK's blood froze even as he wasn't surprised. If there was something that was worse, it was this.

The DarkDrimogemon tilted its head, sniffing the air, as did the others.

Ducking away, TK restarted his search for Patamon. Without Patamon nothing could be done either. TK couldn't help, even if he stayed and watched. Couldn't fight, wouldn't run. And Cody knew what how to act on his own. Hopefully though, the digimon just wanted to stare at Koichi and not -

TK found Patamon knocked out and with a bump on his head in the rift between two boulders, almost looking stuck. He was out for the count. Climbing onto the next best highest point, TK darted his eyes back to the spot he had come from and that was by now surrounded by digimon.

It was maybe fifty feet away, but that was still close enough to recognize details. Cody had backed to Koichi, with Armadimon in front of him, completely surrounded from all sides and with the digimon closing in slow circling motions as though they wanted to throw themselves on weakened prey but were oddly hesitant at the same time, almost like they were wondering if they should dare. Or like they didn't know what they were supposed to do.

It was a back-to-the-wall situation with no way out, not even with trickery.

TK stared at his mind raced. (_Would throwing a rock into the predatory silence do something? Would it get attention to TK? If, then TK could disappear between the rocks and force them to look for him - time gain and time play. Would the digimon even notice at all with as focused they were? Would it only set them off to attack? What did they want anyway? With Koichi? Evolving? Help?) _He took ten seconds of tearing his eyes away to send off an SOS on his D-terminal, but had no idea beyond that.

_Closer. Better get closer._

His friends were there. It might be dangerous, but his friends were there and someone who was at the moment more defenseless than even a child -

DarkGiromon exploded forward, before any other digimon could react, yet it was like watching in slow motion. Chainsaw raised, menacing and cackling something that might be words but that TK couldn't understand, sounding half crazed.

Armadimon jumped, was batted aside. DarkGiromon not even three feet away, swinging the chainsaw in an arc. Cody dropping and dragging Koichi down with him, except - Koichi didn't let himself get pulled.

The chainsaw fell.

Darkness_ surged._

Exploding with a dark light that was nothing so much as absence of all light, power, heavy and sickening, _darkdarkdark_, pressing and _malicious hunger_.

TK gagged. Groundless terror threatened to overwhelm him as a flashback added to the crushing weight of Darkness in the air. _Everyone - hurt - hopelessness - evil laughter - cruelty - crushed hope - despair - Angemon's white wings of light - gonegonegone - _

TK had no idea how long it took him to force himself into a state of mind where he was able to process the outside of his head again, but when he was, he almost wished he wasn't.

_Duskmon_. There was no question that this was Duskmon. It wasn't the fact that it was a different digimon from the lion typed warrior TK had seen before, but that evil malevolence leaked out of it like nothing else that screamed at him that this was the danger, the _other_ that Koichi's friends feared (no matter how lighthearted Takuya had tried to disguise it). TK could see why. A nightmare reborn. Such a harsh contrast to what Koichi usually radiated that it TK needed no warning at all to tell him thatthis thing was _wrong_.

(Later, when he had time and energy to think, he would realize what it meant that he _noticed _so immediately and obviously a _difference._)

A red blade, red like the blood that TK could even see from the distance drip down from it, grew out of it's skull- like hand, spearing the DarkGiromon through its small metal body.

The many eyes on its skull themed armor rotated around, eery in size and movement, as the DarkGirmon burst into data. A second rippled blade slid out of it's other hand and Duskmon crossed them in front of its body, lowering its stance then _disappeared_.

Only, as the screaming and screeching showed, it hadn't so much as disappeared as it had thrown itself into the wave of digimon that had started to fall down on them like an avalanche only instants after the DarkGiromon had broken the status quo.

From his vantage point, TK couldn't observe the battle and was despairingly glad for it as only the sight of Duskmon made him furious and terrified in equal measures. So long as he didn't see it, it wasn't pressed into the front of his mind and TK could focus on Cody and Armadimon.

TK climbed back through the stones, heart pounding in his chest, trying to avoid the fight and any digimon possibly involved, his body shaking both in fear and with adrenaline. Cody was waiting for him, Armadimon in his arms, at the rim of the nest, pale faced with residual horror of having seen of digimon die right before his eyes and who knew how many more in between.

Bursts of data were characteristic, the red particles small but like fast fading mist at a distance. TK had not seen any since that Girmon, but the battle going on in the surrounding rocks spoke for itself. Explosions, heavy impacts, rock breaking, heavy bodies crushing, screaming of metal and the bone shaking roars of several DarkMetalGreymon.

On the plus side, TK and Cody were left alone and ignored. Duskmon didn't seem to have an interest in them and the dark digimon only had eyes for Duskmon. It gave TK a bad feeling, because there really was no good reason for the latter.

"What do they want with Duskmon - or Koichi?"

Cody bit his lip, then shook his head. "I don't know, but I can't imagine it is anything good. Without exception, they are Dark Evolutions and Koichi has powers of Darkness. Perhaps they think they can take it from him. It didn't look like they wanted to take him to their leaders."

TK agreed and it did not make him feel any better. The digimon were all supposed to attack them because they were controlled or because they were evil and had voluntarily joined forces. This...didn't have that feeling. It was odd, too, how Cody and TK had been ignored.

The enemy needed a representative of one element to control the corresponding digimon in the entire world, yet Koichi had never been captured and dark type digimon had never been controlled as, say, the ice types. Yet they were still attacking them, almost blindly and, in fact, they had been evolved to dark types - what was the reason behind that? Was it just to make them stronger? But what reason was there to make a digimon stronger when it couldn't be manipulated like a puppet?

With some effort, TK forced the questions from his mind. He could focus on them for later - now was not the time and not the place.

"What are we going to do?" Cody asked, voice quiet and tense as he looked in the direction of a latest impact.

"I don't know," TK admitted. "We can't fight and our partners can't either. And even if, who are we supposed to fight? Koichi is our responsibility, but," he swallowed, "Duskmon is evil. It would attack us without hesitation." His fists clenched. "And right now its killing digimon."

"We've got to stop it."

"Yes," said TK and hoped he didn't sound as bitter as he thought. Darkness. It was always Darkness. If only Darkness didn't exist. "But how?"

Cody looked at Armadimon in his arms. "I don't know." The younger boy sounded as hopeless and lost as TK felt. "Don't we...I mean, can we get help?"

Yet another impact vibrated through the ground. TK pulled out his D-terminal. "I sent an SOS, but..." SOS were generally not messages that were answered in text, on the basis that the one in danger wouldn't have time to check for messages. TK didn't think canceling the SOS would be doing any good, since they still were in an emergency, but they did have the luxury of a lull.

"Did you ask if there is something we can do about Duskmon?" Cody prompted, following along a similar train of thought. "When it's going to turn back into Koichi and if there is something to speed it up?"

"Also, if someone has ideas what to do about the many Dark digimon," TK added, thinking aloud as he typed away. _If_ (and that's a big if) there was something they could do about Duskmon, which TK didn't bet on, because that was not Darkness (and because Takuya's '_Duskmon, then run for the hills'_ was not promising), then it would be a short triumph if the other digimon were going to descend on them.

They needed help.

TK send off the message and hoped for the best as the two digidestined meanwhile maneuvered themselves in a position where they could observe the happenings.

* * *

><p>Takuya read the message Sora handed to him and promptly spat out his water through the nose. Then he read again. And again.<p>

Then he groaned and rubbed a hand over his face, forgetting that it was a bad idea with the still fresh, deep grouch in his cheek.

"I don't suppose we are anywhere near them, are we?"

Sora made a noise in the back of her throat that Takuya knew to read as a 'if we were so lucky we wouldn't be here. Try other side of the globe'. In her lap, her tiny partner digimon chirped.

"Well, that's just great." It was all well and good that control over every not darkness typed digimon had been broken since the Great Girl Mimi, who Takuya was going to shower in thanks, had managed to break his friends out, but the thing was, it didn't really decrease the numbers of pursuers on their trail when said digimon had all dark evolved. Into, obviously, dark types. So of course, Takuya, Sora and her freshly hatched partner still had about a full army's worth of digimon on their trail.

Wasn't exactly easy to deal with.

"Hey, did you tell the others already that the dark types can be turned into nice and helpless digimon when they are forced out of an evolution."

"Yes. I was doing that while you were lighting that field on fire."

"Don't diss arson!" If Takuya weren't as as awesome as he was, they'd have been done in by now ten times over. Or something. "You're just jealous of my skill!"

Sora gave him a Look and Takuya laughed.

The ability to cause large scale fire and walk through it sure had its advantages when one wanted to run away. Or apply steady, non lethal (mostly) damage.

Digimon who were stupid and walked into a roaring inferno would still get damaged. And if they got damaged enough, they were forced to devolve. And once they had devolved, common sense would kick in and they'd get the hell out of said fire.

That was Takuya's newest strategy. He was very proud of it. (Of course that only applied to those that couldn't fly or didn't have armour strong enough or just plain were too strong to be hurt by a normal fire, no matter how pretty...sufficient to say, Aldamon still had had plenty of workout lately.)

"I kind feel for your friends with Koji," Takuya told his traveling partner as he roasted something that was supposed to be edible over his palm. "I know him and all and he's going to be a pain. It's like an unwritten law back home. Don't mess with Koichi."

* * *

><p>"Koji is not going to take this well," Tommy offered to the other teen, raising his voice against the wind as he handed the D-terminal back.<p>

"Well, yeah," Davis shouted back. "I wouldn't take it well either if my sister went through a Dark Evolution. Not that my sister can evolve."

It's not Dark Evolution, was on the tip of Tommy's tongue, but then he swallowed the words, reconsidering. As far as Tommy got, Dark Evolution was when evolution was forced. Duskmon's evolution wasn't forced. It was natural, just still wrong. Like taken a wrong wrong turn but still on a road. Forced evolution was wrong as well. So maybe it wasn't that far off, calling them one and the same.

AeroV-dramon dived into a cloud and Tommy breathed moisture, his clothes soaked through, but it was still better than the alternative of an energy blast. Tommy was very grateful there were only few digimon capable of matching speed with AeroV-dramon. If they'd have to fight the many digimon after them they'd get nowhere fast.

"Are we anywhere near Koichi's group?" Tommy shouted up front once they had broken out of the clouds and Davis had graduated to free hand flying to simultaneously busy himself with his D-terminal.

"Not really! But wait a moment, I'm trying to estimate how long it would take AeroV-dramon to get to them."

Tommy didn't really have anything but waiting to do. For days on end flying on the back of a dragon, no matter how fast, still got boring pretty soon. Now there was Koichi to worry about too. Tommy bit his lip. Duskmon was never good. For Koichi or anything really.

Distracting himself, he went back to working through the mass of memories he had yet to process. Being split into three wasn't a nice feeling. If he got rid of that, maybe...

"Damn!" Davis cursed. "We'd take days. If only we had Imperialdramon! ...Wait." A pause. "I'm an idiot. Let me check something."

* * *

><p>This is the unbetaed chapter for June. I hope you enjoyed it.<p>

In case anyone was wondering about the Dark(insert-digimon) digimon. In some cases they then become digimon like Devimon or the like, while in most cases, their higher evolution just gets a 'Dark' attached to their names. The basics of this idea is in 02 where the Digimon Kaiser forced Agumon to dark evolve and where instead of SkullGreymon, he became a dark themed MetalGreymon. To clear it up, that means this Drimogemon + Dark Evolution = DarkGiromon/DarkMetalGraymon/DarkNisedrimogemon or Betamon + Dark Evolution = Devimon/DarkDrimogemon/etc. This is mostly the reason why the digigestined can encounter digimon that are native to the region they are traveling or some that really, really aren't, because they have been evolved wrongly and randomly.


End file.
